CENTERVILLE, Texas — A GoFundMe account was set up for the families who lost five of its members Thursday during the midst of the search for escaped Leon County inmate and convicted killer, Gonzalo Lopez.
On Friday, police identified the five who were found dead in a Centerville home as 66-year-old Mark Collins and his four grandsons, Waylon, 18, Carson, 16, Hudson, 11, and Bryson, 11. Officials said the four boys were visiting their grandfather on his ranch off Highway 7.
Waylon, Carson and Hudson were brothers and Bryson was their cousin, officials said.
Tomball ISD sent a letter to parents on Friday, confirming all four grandsons were students at their district, per KHOU.
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During a news conference Thursday, TDCJ Chief of Staff, Jason Clark, said Lopez was the main suspect in their deaths. He said authorities believed Lopez killed the family that day before taking off in a 1999 white Chevy Silverado.
Later, Atascosa County officers noticed Lopez driving the Silverado, Clark said. Lopez and the officers were then involved in a chase, which ended with Lopez crashing the vehicle after officers spiked his tires, Clark said.
When Lopez got out of the vehicle, he exchanged gunfire with the officers, Clark said. He was then shot to death by the officers, he added.
No officers were injured during the shooting, Clark said.
"We are very saddened that the murders happened, but we are breathing a sigh of relief that Lopez will not be able to hurt anyone else," Clark said.
The organizer of the GoFundMe, Stacie Barron of Tomball, Texas, said in the fundraiser's description that it was created after several people asked in the community on how to help. She added that the money raised will go toward the three Collins families that were impacted.
The goal is to raise $250,000.