Fort Worth manhunt for escaped inmate ends with one in custody

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FORT WORTH, Texas - A Tarrant County jail inmate was captured this afternoon after escaping from a transport van.

What we know:

Tarrant County sheriff Bill Waybourn say 27-year-old Carlos Rodriguez Romero escaped from a transport van on the way to a court appearance.

Romero reportedly slipped through his handcuffs and managed to get out of the van near the 4600 block of Mark IV Parkway around 11:45 am.

The manhunt involved K-9 officers and assistance from other law enforcement agencies, including Fort Worth police and North Richland Hills police.

Romero was caught at a trailer park a few blocks from where he escaped, near I-35W and 820. Waybourn says he was captured around 1 pm and taken into custody.

He was seen wearing boxers and a white undershirt during his capture, as seen by Sky 4 video.

The backstory:

Romero was arrested on Dec. 4, 2025 on aggravated robbery and tampering charges.

He was being transported from downtown Fort Worth to a court appearance when he escaped. Waybourn says Romero will now be facing additional charges.

What they're saying:

"When chuckleheads decide to run from law enforcement, we've had a great tradition in Tarrant County and our partners of putting them back where they need to be and keeping the community safe," Waybourn said in a press conference.

Waybourn also said his department will investigate the lock on the transport van to determine what changes need to be made to prevent another escape.