Texas DPS Reminds Citizens of Increased Reward for Escaped Convicted Murderer

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is reminding the public that the reward for Jose Fernando Bustos-Diaz, 27, has increased to $10,000.

This reward comes regarding any information leading to his capture if the tip comes in during the month of May.

Bustos-Diaz, a Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive and this month’s featured fugitive, is a convicted murderer wanted for escape and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

In 2006, Bustos-Diaz pleaded guilty to a 2005 murder he committed while working as a ranch hand in Harris County. He was subsequently sentenced to 35 years in a Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) prison.

On April 6, 2010, Bustos-Diaz escaped from the TDCJ Briscoe Unit in Dilley, located approximately 70 miles southwest of San Antonio. Bustos-Diaz is believed to have fled to Mexico. For more information and updates in the event of his arrest, see his wanted bulletin at: http://www.dps.texas.gov/Texas10MostWanted/fugitiveDetails.aspx?id=323.

Bustos-Diaz is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs approximately 195 pounds. Bustos-Diaz has significant acne scaring on his face and birthmarks on his chest. He also has multiple tattoos, including a heart with a cross on the webbing of his left hand; the name “Vanessa” with one dot on the inside of his left wrist; and the name “Lizeth” on the inside of his right wrist.

Texas Crime Stoppers, which is funded by the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division, offers cash rewards to any person who provides information that leads to the arrest of one of the Texas 10 Most Wanted fugitives or sex offenders.

To be eligible for the cash rewards, tipsters must provide information to authorities using one of the five following methods:

• Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
• Text the letters DPS – followed by your tip – to 274637 (CRIMES) from your cell phone.
• Submit a web tip through the DPS website by selecting the fugitive you have information about, and then clicking on the link under their picture.
• Submit a Facebook tip at http://www.facebook.com/texas10mostwanted by clicking the “SUBMIT A TIP” link (under the “About” section).
• Submit a tip through the DPS Mobile App. The app is currently available for iPhone users on the Apple App Store: (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/texas-dps/id902092368?mt=8) and for Android users on Google Play: (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microassist.texasdps&hl=en).

All tips are anonymous, regardless of how they are submitted, and tipsters will be provided a tip number instead of using a name.

DPS investigators work with local law enforcement agencies to select fugitives for the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive and Sex Offender lists. You can find the current lists – with photos – on the DPS website athttp://www.dps.texas.gov/texas10mostwanted/.

DPS officials stress not to attempt to apprehend these fugitives because they are considered armed and dangerous.