Highway 21 back open following search for escaped inmate in Madison County

MADISON COUNTY, Texas (KBTX) - Highway 21 is back open after being closed for several hours while law enforcement searched for an escaped inmate.

It’s still unclear who officials are searching for, but a Facebook post Tuesday night from the Madison County Office of Emergency Management said authorities were searching for an escapee who may be in the area of Highway 21 and the Navasota River.

According to the post, residents in the area were urged to report any suspicious activity to 9-1-1 and stay secured in their locations.

Early Wednesday morning, DPS dispatch told News 3′s Fallon Appleton that eastbound Highway 21 was shut down east of the Brazos County line. When KBTX arrived on the scene around 5:00 a.m., the road was back open and there was no law enforcement present.

This latest search comes just days after authorities released new photos of escaped inmate Gonzalo Lopez. The convicted killer, who escaped custody on May 12, while being transported by bus, has warrants out for his arrest for escape and aggravated assault against a public servant.

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