Police across North Texas are continuing an active, extensive manhunt for a fugitive officials have described as "dangerous" and "desperate."
Investigators set up a command post inside of the Grapevine Police Department and are working with officers from Miami-Dade and the U.S. Marshals following leads to find Alberto Morales.
Morales escaped from police custody on Tuesday after stabbing a Miami-Dade police officer in the parking lot of a Grapevine Walmart. (Read more on that incident in this story)
Local investigators said they had some tips on Morales' whereabouts overnight, but that none of the tips received have provided viable leads.
Late Tuesday night, a possible Morales sighting turned out not to be the wanted suspect. Police also questioned two men in a Ford SUV they thought Morales may have stolen, but it wasn’t connected to the escape.
Police are warning neighbors to watch out, describing Morales as a "dangerous" and "desperate" fugitive from the law. He’s facing life in prison for aggravated sexual assault as well as serving time for other charges. Officers say if Morales is still in North Texas, he’ll need a warm place to hide out.
“Make sure your garage door’s shut, your doors are locked, you're secure and make sure your house is secure. If your cars are locked out on your driveway, if you happen to park them out there, your keys are where they are. You know where everything is. Just be aware of your surroundings," Lt. Todd Dearing of the Grapevine Police Department said.
"If you see someone that looks like him, please call us. Even if you're on that edge of, ‘Is it or isn't it?’ Call us. Let us go out and talk to the individual, because you never know when that one person’s going to call in, and that's actually going to be him,” said Dearing.
Investigators say it’s possible Morales has gotten some help and escaped from the area. He’s now on the state’s Top 10 Most Wanted List and a reward of $10,000 has been issued for information that leads to his capture.
Previous Coverage:
- Escaped Prisoner Joins Texas Most Wanted List
- Escaped Prisoner Described as "a Schiziphrenic" in 911 Call
NBC 5's Greg Janda contributed to this report.
