Police still looking for violent fugitive in Grapevine and Flower Mound areas

The search for the escaped felon has so far turned up nothing.

AP Photo/Grapevine Police Department

A manhunt is underway for Alberto Morales, a prisoner convicted of kidnapping and sexual assault, who stabbed one of two police escorts and escaped in the Dallas area as he was being transferred from Florida to Nevada, police said. A mobile police command center is set up in a parking lot in Grapevine.

FLOWER MOUND — Several police officers, including those from Flower Mound, spent part of the day Thursday searching for escaped felon Alberto Morales.

Officials said police received a tip that there was a man spotted near a wooded area Spinks Road that matched the description of Morales, who escaped custody Monday night when officers stopped at a Wal-Mart in Grapevine en route to Las Vegas from Miami. Officials said Morales stabbed an officer several times and escaped, despite missing a shoe and being in shackles.

Crews searched for Morales on foot and via helicopter. Police called off the search after finding no one.

One Flower Mound official said various offices near that area were on a soft lockdown as a result of the tip.

Morales is described as a 42-year-old Hispanic male. He is listed as being 5-feet, 7-inches tall and weighing about 175 pounds. He has brown hair, brown eyes, and possibly wears glasses. He was last seen wearing a gray hoodie sweatshirt, blue shorts, and one shoe. He was still in arm and leg restraints at the time of his escape. Morales has a long, violent criminal history and should be considered armed and dangerous.

He is described as having a tattoo of a Native American on a horse on left shoulder and upper left arm, scars on his left hand, left arm and nose and discolored spots on his face around right eye and on forehead.

Authorities said a white Ford SUV is a vehicle of interest and that he might be in that.

Sgt. Robert Eberling of the Grapevine Police Department said nothing leads officials to believe Morales has left the area.

Morales is wanted for a variety of crimes, including attempted capital murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault on a police officer, and escape from custody. His criminal history also includes burglary with use of deadly weapon and sexual assault with deadly weapon.

Anyone who sees Morales is asked to call 911.