Updated at 6 p.m.: Revised to include time line information about the missing gun.

A gun used by Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lupe Valdez when she was Dallas County sheriff has not been returned, Sheriff's Department records show.

Valdez was supplied with the Beretta 9mm pistol in 2011 when a gun of the same model she owned "sustained a malfunction," according to a sheriff's department report obtained by The Dallas Morning News.

"It is likely that this weapon could have been stolen or misplaced during Sheriff Valdez's moving transition," the report stated.

A police report had to be generated because the weapon could be in the hands of a criminal or used to commit a crime.

Raul Reyna, spokesman for the sheriff's department, told The News Monday in an email: "Former Sheriff Valdez has been approached about the missing weapon and is working with the Sheriff's Department to locate the missing firearm."

He said an investigation into the matter was ongoing, and didn't rule out that Valdez returned the gun and then it got lost.

"The firearm is still considered missing and a report was generated in case the firearm is used in any offense or is located it can be readily identified," Reyna wrote.

Valdez did not clearly state whether she had turned over the gun. Her campaign spokesman, Juan Bautista Dominguez, referred to the sheriff department's report when asked for comment.

"As mentioned in the report, it is possible that this weapon could have been stolen or misplaced during Sheriff Valdez's moving transition and she is working with the Dallas County Sheriff Department to locate the firearm," Dominguez wrote in an email.

Reyna did not confirm if the gun was "lost"or "stolen."

"The firearm is considered missing," he wrote.

Reyna also said it was unclear when the report about the missing firearm was filed. Although the report provided to The News was dated July 13. Reyna said it would be Tuesday before sheriff's officials could determine when it was first learned the gun had not been returned.

Gov. Greg Abbott's campaign said it would not comment on the gun issue.

Previous questions

Valdez had faced questions earlier in her campaign about late tax payments on property she owns in Dallas and Ellis counties. She had been late on paying more than $12,000 in taxes that were due Jan. 31. She didn't pay her taxes on time, but did loan her political campaign $25,000. Six of the properties were in Dallas County, the others in Ellis County.

She eventually paid the taxes in full. If she had not paid the taxes she owed by July, she would have officially been listed as delinquent and the accounts could have been turned over to a collection agency.

Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez rode atop a Hummer in Garland's annual Labor Day Parade on Monday Sept. 7, 2015. (Rex C. Curry/Special Contributor) (Rex C. Curry / Special Contributor)

Valdez was elected in 2004, the first woman, Hispanic and openly gay person to hold a sheriff's post in Texas.

She resigned in December to run for governor. She advanced to the November general election against incumbent Abbott after winning a primary runoff against Houston businessman Andrew White, the son of former Gov. Mark White.

According the sheriff's department, Valdez accepted the loaner gun on Oct. 3, 2011. She was supposed to return the firearm to the department before her Dec. 31, 2017 resignation.