Girlfriend of escaped Houston County inmate apprehended in Corsicana

CROCKETT, Texas (KTRE) - An escaped inmate from the Houston County Jail has been apprehended. Now, the woman they say is his girlfriend and who helped him escape has been apprehended, as well. According to the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, Miguel Alejandro Zuniga, 31, who had escaped earlier on Wednesday - allegedly with the help of his girlfriend, Melissa Pearl Ortiz - was caught in Corsicana by the local police department. The sheriff’s office said that Ortiz was taken into custody by the Corsicana Police Department at about 7:20 p.m. in Crockett, as well. Zuniga was originally detained on a drug-related charge, according to Sheriff Randy Hargrove. HCSO reported on social media that Ortiz assisted the escape that she “planned to meet him and provide transportation. The sheriff’s office said both are to be considered dangerous. Zuniga was last seen on-camera at the sheriff’s office on South 4th Street in Crockett around 1:49 a.m. Zuniga is described as 5′6″ and having black hair and brown eyes. The sheriff said he was wearing grey pants and a white t-shirt at the time. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911 right away.