A 19-year-old murder suspect who cut off his ankle monitor and went on the run for weeks has been recaptured in Dallas, authorities announced Tuesday.
Phillip Torres, who was awaiting trial for a June fatal shooting in Fort Worth, is now back in custody at the Tarrant County jail after a multi-agency operation tracked him down following his late November escape attempt, according to law enforcement officials.
Coordinated Capture
The Fort Worth Police Department described Torres’ capture as a coordinated effort involving Fort Worth officers, the Dallas Police Department, the Department of Public Safety, and the Tarrant County Attorney General’s fugitive unit. The suspect had been originally charged in connection with the death of a man found shot inside a vehicle on the 2700 block of West Long Avenue last summer.
“So, part of the condition of his bond was that Mr. Torres was supposed to be wearing an ankle monitor,” Fort Worth Officer Brad Perez explained. “We were advised in late November that he had cut off his ankle monitor.”
What followed was an intensive weeks-long search before authorities finally located Torres in Dallas, where he was taken back into custody without incident.
Relief for Victim’s Family
For those connected to the victim, the recapture likely brings some measure of comfort. “For those that are related to the loved one, friends and family, I’m certain they want nothing but justice for the loss of their loved one,” Perez stated. “And I think you know for them to find out that someone that may be guilty of something like this to be out and about, I’m sure the fact that we were able to recapture him and arrest him again is a sigh of relief.”
Not the first fugitive to make this mistake. Law enforcement officials say Torres’ attempt to evade justice by removing his monitoring device is a familiar pattern they’ve seen before — and one that typically compounds legal troubles for defendants.
“So, this isn’t the first time something like this happens. It won’t be the last time,” Officer Perez noted. “But what these individuals need to understand is that when they do something like this, it’s not a good look for them, and if anything, it’s just going to make things even worse.”
Torres now faces additional legal complications on top of the original murder charge as he awaits his day in court. The case serves as a reminder of the challenges authorities face in monitoring pretrial defendants while balancing public safety concerns against the presumption of innocence.
