The case of a Hays County corrections officer who killed an escaped inmate has been dismissed

Hays County District Attorney sign (KXAN Photo/Sarah Al-Shaikh)

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — On Thursday, the Hays County District Attorney’s Office announced the dismissal of a capital murder charge against a former Hays County Sheriff’s Office corrections officer.

In December 2022, Isaiah Garcia, who was serving as a corrections officer, shot and killed 36-year-old Joshua Wright as he tried to escape custody at a Kyle hospital, a news release said.

“Under Texas law, a correctional officer or peace officer may be justified in using force, including deadly force, if he or she reasonably believes that it is immediately necessary to prevent the escape of a person in custody,” the district attorney’s office said.

In 2023, a grand jury did not indict Garcia on murder and manslaughter charges in connection with the shooting, but instead charged him with a third-degree felony count of deadly conduct.

“Although the indictment did not charge Garcia with a crime directly related to Wright’s death, it did charge him with deadly conduct in the circumstances in which he fired a weapon in a crowded emergency room,” the release said.

The office reported that the murder charge was dismissed at the request of the family.

“They conveyed that they wanted the case dismissed after consulting with their legal representatives. After later viewing footage of the shooting, the family continued to demand his release. The family’s reasons for the request were carefully considered and ultimately found to be persuasive,” District Attorney Kelly Higgins said in the release.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said that before his release, Garcia agreed to permanently surrender his correctional officer license and also agreed not to apply for any future licenses or certifications to work as a peace officer, corrections officer or armed security guard.