The Texas 7: A True Story of Murder and a Daring Escape
About the book
The book chronicles the spectacular escape from the John B. Connally Unit prison on December 13, 2000, when seven convicted criminals carried out a meticulously planned breakout. The seven men overpowered prison guards, stole weapons and ammunition, and set out for freedom.
While on the run, the group carried out an armed robbery at a sporting goods store in Irving, Texas, where they killed police officer Aubrey Hawkins on Christmas Eve. The killing triggered a massive manhunt involving both local authorities and the FBI. The investigation became one of the largest in Texas history.
The story culminated in the group's capture in Colorado after they were featured on America's Most Wanted. Six of the seven were arrested, while the seventh took his own life during the arrest.
The book offers a detailed look at both the meticulously planned escape, the crimes committed during the group's flight, and the intensive manhunt that followed. The case led to several death sentences and exposed serious security failures within the American prison system. The Texas Seven case remains one of the most dramatic prison escapes in modern American criminal justice history.
