Out on bond, murder suspect removes ankle monitor to flee

HOUSTON – A capital murder suspect is missing and presumed on the run after after cutting off his ankle monitor while free on bond.

Carlos Torres, 27, is charged with killing his onetime girlfriend in June 2014.

Eleivia Vigil, 22, was found dead in her bed, in her family's Southeast Houston house in the 5100 block of Chennault Street.

The Houston Police Department said she had been strangled.

"If they know they can cut it off, then why do they do it?" Genovevo Vigil, the victim's father, said Monday, referring to Torres' ankle monitor.

According to court records, Torres had a $50,000 bond that was later raised to $200,000, with an added stipulation of a curfew and GPS ankle monitor.

While release on bond is rare, in a capital murder case, whether or not a defendant is allowed a chance to make bail is up to a judge.

Torres' bond has now been revoked, a spokesman for the Harris County District Attorney's Office, said Monday.

While out on bond, Torres removed his court-ordered ankle monitor and has not been heard from since Sunday, according to police. He is considered armed and dangerous, and authorities believe he fled in a 2003 gold Nissan Xterra with Texas plates BT8J480.

Vigil went out to various bars on June 21, 2014, before returning home around 2 a.m. The next morning, her family attempted to wake her, but her bedroom door was locked. A few hours later, family members returned and tried to wake her up for a second time, still with no luck. When family members went outside and looked in her window, they saw her body. An autopsy revealed Vigil's cause of death was strangulation.

Anyone with information on Torres' whereabouts is urged to contact the HPD homicide division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.