Domestic abuse suspect ESCAPES during Texas courtroom brawl: Man unshackled his leg irons in a separate hearing room and walked out of the building as bumbling cops rushed to fracas after murder sentencing

• Michael Devon Combs, 32, was able to remove his shackles and flee a Houston courtroom while his guards responded to panic button alarm trigger by a fight in another court room
• The fugitive escaped through the elevator and walked out of the facility unchallenged
• Authorities say jail protocols were not followed as a manhunt to find him continues 

A manhunt is underway for an escaped Texas inmate who bolted from a courtroom while the guards in charge of him left him unattended to break up a fight down in a different courtroom. 

Michael Devon Combs, 32, was alone for just 15 minutes – in which time he managed to remove his shackles and flee the Houston courtroom where his bond was being revoked for choking the mother of his children, local authorities said.

The cops who were supposed to be watching Combs responded to a panic button alarm when a huge brawl broke out between the families of a killer and the victim’s family Tuesday morning. 

After addressing the court, the mother of murdered 16-year-old Diamond Alvarez lunged at her daughter’s murder, Frank DeLeon Jr., 20.

A bailiff restrained the mother, but Alvarez’s uncle charged at the killer, sparking the fight. 

Michael Devon Combs, 32, was last seen in downtown Houston wearing a blue shirt and khaki pants after his escape.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=fsVzR9uXgaI%3Frel%3D0

A huge brawl broke out between the families of a killer and his victim after the mom of a dead teen called the murderer a ‘monster’

Video showed the uncle charging at the killer as three bailiffs and others in the court tried to stop the fight. One court security officer pulled a taser and had it pointed at the uncle, though its unclear if it was used. 

Combs took advantage of the chaos to flee, authorities claimed. 

‘He walked out of the courtroom, got on an elevator and walked out of the building,’ explained Harris County Sheriff’s Office Major Lynette Anderson. 

‘Once he got out of the building, he took off his ankle monitor.’

He was last seen on surveillance video wearing a blue shirt and khaki pants. 

A bailiff pulled DeLeon away from the uncle as the judge quickly retreated from the courtroom. 

At the same time, DeLeon’s mother started to brawl with the victim’s mom. 

‘Someone should have stayed with (Combs) at the time,’ Anderson said, while admitting protocols were not followed.

 After order was restored, the victim’s mom told reporters she did not regret her words.

‘He’s a monster in my eyes. That would never change.’ said Anna Machado.

‘Did he look remorseful at all? No. He was laughing at my face. (Like) it’s a joke. A life is not a joke. My daughter’s not a joke.’

‘I’ve been fighting for justice, and today, finally, my daughter has her justice,’ Machado told KHOU. ‘Our lives have stopped since that night. We’re like walking zombies. He got what he deserves and I’m going to focus on my family, and Diamond has her justice, and I just want to move forward.’

DeLeon was sentenced to 45 years in prison for fatally shooting his girlfriend Diamond Alvarez, 16, after she confronted him about dating her whilst being in another relationship

Alvarez’s mother, Anna Machado, spoke during the hearing. When she finished, she left a witness stand and started to head toward DeLeon. A bailiff restrained her, but it started the fight

Alvarez’s uncle charged at the killer sparking the massive fight (in the blue and white stripe shirt) that bailiffs tried to stop

Alvarez’s uncle was taken into custody after the fight, though it’s unclear if he was charged with a crime. 

DeLeon is scheduled to be sentenced to 45 years in prison. Alvarez’s mom, Anna Machado, spoke during the hearing. 

DeLeon accepted a plea deal in court on Tuesday morning as he was supposed to face trial this week on the charges. 

Diamond had gone to meet DeLeon whilst walking her dog Peanut at around 9.30pm to confront him for dating her while he was in a long-term relationship with another girl.

DeLeon shot her 22 times in the back, according to the Houston Police Department.

Her family immediately became concerned after hearing gunshots and then discovering Peanut alone and covered in blood outside their door.

Diamond was discovered by her brother a couple of blocks from her southwest Houston home, near a field that was used as a neighborhood park.

She was still alive and Machado attempted CPR unsuccessfully, with paramedics declaring her dead at the scene. 

One court security officer pulled out a taser, though it’s unclear if it was used to subdue the uncle

As court security took the uncle to the ground, another member of the gallery charged up and started to attack the uncle

DeLeon was pulled away form the fight as he admitted to murder. He is set to be sentenced to 45 years in prison

The scuffle began when Diamond’s mother Anna Machado attempted to rush at DeLeon after delivering her victim impact statement

Diamond Alvarez (fourth from left to right) with her family members on New Year’s Eve

It is not the first time the proceedings around the case have descended into chaos.

Judge Hazel Jones had to call for security at her courtroom in Houston after Diamond’s brother Abel Alvarez charged at DeLeon in a previous hearing.

During that hearing, families were in the courtroom for a hearing as DeLeon was freed on a $250,000 bond, but taken back into custody after his ankle monitor showed he had left house arrest without alerting authorities.

Judge Hazel Jones reinstated DeLeon’s bond, after the ankle monitoring company admitted it could have been a glitch, and the teenager walked out of court with his relatives.

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