3 murder suspects who escaped Bexar County Jail captured at San Antonio Sonic

Inmate Eric Trevino escaped the Bexar County Jail on Friday, March 2, 2018, according to the Sheriff's Office. Inmate Eric Trevino escaped the Bexar County Jail on Friday, March 2, 2018, according to the Sheriff's Office. Photo: Bexar County Sheriff's Office Photo: Bexar County Sheriff's Office Image 1 of / 32 Caption Close 3 murder suspects who escaped Bexar County Jail captured at San Antonio Sonic 1 / 32 Back to Gallery

Authorities apprehended three men charged with capital murder who escaped from the Bexar County Jail Friday after they stopped at a Sonic restaurant, officials said.

Authorities discovered Jacob Anthony Brownson, Luis Antonio Arroyo and Eric Trevino missing from the jail, in the 200 block of North Comal Street, around 10:40 a.m., officials said.

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They were captured about an hour later, after an ex-girlfriend of one of the men, who had picked them up from jail, dropped them off at the restaurant near Hildebrand and Blanco and then called police, said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.

After a brief foot chase, all three were taken into custody without incident, McManus said.

The three inmates were taken into custody, and the driver may face charges for her role in the escape, officials said.

Two contractors renovating the exterior of a home on Norwood Street, near where the suspects were arrested, described the hectic moment police swarmed the street.

"It was quiet one minute, and then a bunch of cops were here," Paul Kanae said. "And then helicopters flew above us."

They didn't get a good look at the suspects, but said officers were running down the street with their guns drawn.

"The cops were yelling at us to get inside," Steve Ortega said. "For them to yell like that, we knew it was serious."

Though Ortega doesn't live in the area, he said he was shocked to learn of the details about the incident.

"It happened too close for comfort," Ortega said.

McManus credited the team work between local law enforcement agencies to catch the suspected killers.

"There's no longer a danger to the public," McManus said.

In what Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar called a "pretty miraculous feat," the inmates escaped by climbing 20 feet up in a recreation area inside the jail, cutting a hole in "some mesh" and climbing down onto a roof outside using bed sheets.

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He said officials will work to retrace the inmates' steps and determine how they were able to flee.

"We'll start working backwards to find out how it was they formulated this plan and got the materials together that were needed to affect this escape," Salazar said. "It's something that should never be allowed to occur in this setting."

The jail will be on a lockdown for "the foreseeable future," he said, adding that the inmates' ability to escape is concerning.

Trevino was charged with capital murder in December 2017. He is accused of shooting and killing of 3-year-old Rene Blancas Jr. on Nov. 4 as he sat in a car with his parents and next to his 11-month-old sister.

Brownson was already in jail in December 2016 when he was charged with capital murder in the deaths of three men.

Arroyo was arrested in January 2016 after two people were killed and another was attacked in the 7600 block of Callaghan Road.

"We'll start working backwards to find out how it was they formulated this plan and got the materials together that were needed to affect this escape," Salazar said.

This is a developing story. Check back with mySA.com for details.

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Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns