TEMPLE, Texas – A Texas-based prison transport company will close after trained MMA fighter and man accused of killing two people escaped custody last week, the Bell County sheriff told KCEN.
Cedric Marks was in transit to Bell County from Michigan on a Texas Prisoners Transportation Services van when the vehicle stopped at a McDonald's in Conroe. There, Marks escaped from the company's custody and led investigators on a nine-hour manhunt.
He was later apprehended after being found in a Conroe resident's trash can behind their house.
The Bell County Sheriff Eddy Lange told KCEN that Marks refused to take a required tuberculosis skin test in order to be flown to Bell County. Because of Marks' refusal, he was transported by van.
Lange said what happened Sunday was a disaster and he's grateful Marks was captured so he can face his charges in the deaths of Jenna Scott and Michael Swearingin.
"The worst thing I feared when I first heard about this was, 'Oh no, is he going to use this as a final stage and go out with guns blazing?'" Lange said to KCEN. "I didn't want him to get injured."
KPRC has reached out to the company for comment but has not heard back.