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Manhunt Underway After Harris County Murder Defendant Cuts Off Ankle Monitor Before Retrial

The case is fueling fresh doubts about whether GPS tracking can keep high‑risk defendants from fleeing before trial.

Overview

  • Authorities say Walter Pozos removed his court‑ordered GPS ankle monitor on Monday, then missed his Wednesday retrial and went on the run.
  • Court records show judges issued warrants, revoked and forfeited his bond, and prosecutors added bail jumping and electronic‑monitor tampering charges.
  • The U.S. Marshals Service confirmed it joined Harris County deputies in the search, and Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000 for tips leading to his arrest.
  • Pozos was awaiting retrial in a 2023 case where deputies say he led a 100‑mph chase that ended in a crash killing passenger Hector Castilleja Correa and injuring homeowner Maria Garcia.
  • This is the second Harris County case in weeks of a murder defendant removing a monitor, following Lee Gilley’s flight to Italy, which has spurred calls to tighten alert protocols and a new proposal to strengthen electronic monitoring for violent offenders.