Thursday January 25 1:44 PM ET
Texas Escape Ringleader Says He Killed Cop

DALLAS (Reuters) - The alleged leader of seven escaped Texas convicts recaptured in Colorado this week admitted killing a police officer in a Christmas robbery and expects the death penalty, according to an interview published on Thursday.

George Rivas, 30, a convicted kidnapper and armed robber, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in an exclusive interview that he also was shot in the abdomen when he wounded and then killed Irving, Texas, policeman Aubrey Hawkins during a Dec. 24 robbery, 11 days after they broke out of a south Texas prison.

``I can't get Hawkins out of my mind,'' Rivas told a reporter for the newspaper in the Teller County Jail, where the six surviving convicts were being held pending extradition to Texas to face capital murder charges for the policeman's slaying.

One of the fugitives committed suicide when surrounded by police.

Rivas said he expected the death penalty. ``I'm guilty. I'm prepared for it. It's what I deserve,'' he said.

After one of the most intense manhunts since the 1930s, tipsters led police to the fugitives' hide-out in a trailer park in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Rivas and three gang members were arrested on Tuesday, one committed suicide and the last two surrendered on Wednesday in a hotel in nearby Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Rivas said the gang was surprised when police officer Hawkins arrived in his patrol car just as they were leaving a sports store after stealing about $80,000 and a cache of weapons.

Rivas said he screamed at the officer to put his hands up and fired two warning shots. Hawkins appeared to reach for his weapon but was hit by another shot in the left shoulder and raised his

hands.

Rivas Says He Was Struck By Bullet

But Rivas said he was then struck by a bullet in the abdomen from an unknown gun and responded by firing what he believed were three fatal shots into Hawkins.

Hawkins was shot 11 times, six in the head, according to autopsy reports. The policeman's gun was not fired, police said.

Rivas showed the reporter a fresh-looking scar.

Five of the convicts -- Rivas, Randy Halprin, Larry Harper, Joseph Garcia and Michael Anthony Rodriguez -- had planned to go straight after the robbery, Rivas said. But the two others captured on Wednesday, Patrick Murphy Jr. and Donald Newbury, had ``different approaches,'' Rivas said.

Rivas said he organized the prison break and chose the other six because they wanted to start over.

``That's the reason I hand-picked them for this. They really seemed to have repented or grieved for what they did,'' he said.

``I know it sounds like hypocrisy, but several of us do love the Lord. But with 18 life sentences and no hope of coming out again, I just wanted a new life.''

Rivas said he wanted to live in Denver and work as a butcher. He said he planned to throw away most of the guns -- more than 50 -- that he and the others had taken and keep ``one or two.''

Hawkins' death, he said, was ``something that never should have happened. I just wanted to live as a normal citizen.''

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