This Was The Spectacular Escape Of Two Latino Prisoners Who Are Still Free

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

The county sheriff's office has released details of the escape of the two Hispanic inmates who escaped from the Monterey County Jail in Salinas.

Santos Fonseca, 21, and Jonathan Salazar, 20, who are still on the run and considered extremely dangerous, escaped early Sunday morning, but were not reported missing until 8:15 a.m.

Fonseca and Salazar were able to create a hole about 22 inches wide in the ceiling above a bathroom in their cell, allowing them to climb up and break through, authorities revealed, Capt. John Thornburg, a spokesman for the Sheriff's office in a press conference on Monday.

The inmates kicked a hatch that led outside on the other side of the bathroom wall, where there was a space that houses plumbing pipes. Since the jail is under construction, the outside area was covered with construction fences, rather than barbed wire fences, and the two were able to get out of the jail.

The jail experienced another escape about five years ago, but in that case, the inmate climbed through a ventilation shaft.

Authorities are investigating how long they were planning their escape. When asked if they had internal help from employees, Thornburg replied "absolutely not."

Fonseca and Salazar were arrested by the Salinas Police Department for murder and other violent crimes, Thornburg said.

Fonseca was booked on June 7, 2018 on charges of murder and attempted robbery with a tido bail in October 2017, according to the Salinas Police Department. He and an unidentified minor were accused of killing a man and attempting to murder his girlfriend after Salazar allegedly shot the couple's car with their 18-month-old son inside, The Californian reported. The boy was not injured in the shooting.

Other charges Salazar was arrested for include vehicle theft, conspiracy to commit a crime, violation of probation and possession of a stolen vehicle, according to court records, ABC News reports.

Both were born in Salinas, California and are affiliated with gangs, although it appears that they are affiliated with opposing gangs and did not have a connection before being incarcerated in the same unit.

A $ 5,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of the inmates.