Authorities expand the search for convicted murderer Gonzalo Lopez as ground and air operations conclude.

The search for Gonzalo Lopez, a convicted murderer who escaped from a prison transport bus and stabbed the driver last week, has entered a new phase, Texas authorities announced on Friday. The search, which previously involved extensive ground and air operations in Leon County, Texas, has now shifted to a more strategic focus outside the original secured perimeter.

Lopez, 46, managed to escape while being transported for a medical appointment on May 12 in a rural area between Dallas and Houston. According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Lopez freed himself from his restraints, cut through the cage’s metal mesh, and crawled to freedom. He then attacked the bus driver, prompting an altercation in which both Lopez and the driver exited the bus.

A second officer at the rear of the vehicle attempted to intervene, but Lopez re-entered the bus and fled, driving down the road until officers shot out the rear tire. The bus soon veered off the road, and Lopez fled into nearby woods. Despite the officers’ efforts to stop him, Lopez remains at large.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has stated that the search for Lopez is now expanding. While some personnel will remain in Leon County, more strategic searches will be conducted in areas beyond the initial search perimeter. Cris Love, Inspector General, warned that anyone caught assisting Lopez would face criminal prosecution and be putting their own safety at risk.

Lopez was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted in 2006 for the murder of a man near the Texas-Mexico border. During the escape, he stabbed the driver, though the injuries were not life-threatening.

Authorities are offering a $50,000 reward for any information that leads to Lopez’s capture.