Authorities say report of Texas fugitives false

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- The reported sighting of Texas fugitives in Oklahoma turned out to be a case of mistaken identity, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said Monday.

A passer-by thought he saw members of a group of seven Texas prison escapees standing outside a dark-colored car and a white truck near Oklahoma 16 around 8 p.m. Sunday, about 25 miles south of Tulsa.

The car was traced to a Texas owner, who told authorities she had sold it to someone in Tulsa. Around 1 a.m., authorities contacted the Tulsa owner who said he had broken down on the highway, Lt. Stan Roberts said.

Roberts said authorities have no other reports of the fugitives in Oklahoma.

There have been other reported sightings across the country of the men, who are believed to be heavily armed and in possession of $70,000 stolen from a sporting goods store where a Texas police officer was killed Dec. 24.

They fled the Connally Unit in South Texas on Dec. 13 after overpowering civilian workers and a guard and grabbing a pickup and firearms.

Two of the men are convicted killers, two are rapists, one is a child abuser, another is a kidnapper and the other is a robber.

George Rivas, 30, is believed to be the ringleader. He was serving a life sentence for aggravated robbery and kidnapping in El Paso.

The others are Larry Harper, 37, serving 50 years for aggravated sexual assault in El Paso; Randy Halprin, 23, serving 30 years for injury to a child; Michael Rodriguez, 38, life for capital murder in San Antonio; Donald Newbury, 38, serving 99 years for aggravated robbery; Joseph Garcia, 29, serving 50 years for murder in San Antonio; and Patrick Henry Murphy Jr., serving 50 years for aggravated sexual assault with a deadly weapon and burglary in Dallas.