Escaped convict is still at large

Editor’s note: Daniel Lopez Zavala was captured May 29. Lea este articulo en español aquí.

San Benito County Sheriff Eric Taylor said the manhunt for Daniel Lopez Zavala, who escaped jail on May 28, is ongoing. The sheriff said he could not provide additional information at this time. Lopez Zavala has an extensive arrest history that includes violent crimes and gang activity.  

Daniel Lopez Zavala. Photo courtesy of San Benito County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s department advised anyone who encounters the escaped convict to avoid contact, and urged anyone with information to call 831-636-4080 or text TIP SBCSO to 888777.

Taylor said his office has launched an audit to determine how Lopez Zavala was able to escape the jail May 28. The audit will be conducted by Gary Hosman, an administrative services specialist who conducts internal affairs investigations.

Taylor told BenitoLink the audit began today and can last weeks or even months. He said laws require his office to conduct the audit within a year, but that he intends to make a determination much sooner than that.

“It’s important for me to do it as soon as possible for the security of the facility,” he said.

San Benito County Supervisor Kollin Kosmicki agrees that there needs to be an investigation.

“The sheriff has acknowledged there were staff members present when this escape occurred,” Kosmicki said, “so it’s vitally important to learn what jail staff protocols were or weren’t followed that led to this incident.”

Taylor said the audit requires the investigator to interview staff, who are entitled to legal representation throughout the process. 

When asked why Lopez Zavala was working at around 2 a.m., when he staged the escape, Taylor said he is also questioning that. 

In a May 28 news conference, Taylor pointed out that he has been advocating for several years for additional staffing.

Kosmicki says the county has financially supported the Sheriff’s Office in recent years. He said, citing budget documents, that the county funded 79 positions in fiscal year 2023-24, an increase of 17 positions in the last five years. He added correction positions increased from 29 to 37.5 in the same time period.

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