Police arrest family, friends of escapees

Police have charged four jail inmates with assisting in Sunday’s escape from the Curry County jail.

Two people close to escapees have also been arrested and charged with obstruction of justice, allegedly for refusing to cooperate with law enforcement.

Five of the eight escapees remained at large on Wednesday night, including convicted killer Edward Salas and suspected killer Larry McClendon Jr.

Meanwhile, officers said they are searching throughout Curry County, Albuquerque and West Texas for the missing inmates.

Arrested and charged with obstruction of justice are Isidoro “LoLo” Salas, 43, of Albuquerque, the father of Edward Salas, and Asha Currie, 27, of Clovis, the mother of escapee Michael England’s child.

Four Curry County inmates still incarcerated at the jail were charged with three counts each of assisting in an escape and three counts of harboring or aiding a felon, District Attorney Matt Chandler said. The inmates charged with assisting are: Lawrence Kolek, 26, Manuel Lopez, 32, Kevyn Crane, 26, and Donald Jones, 27.

Chandler said other inmates may also be charged with assisting in the escape.

Also on Wednesday afternoon, officers arrested friends and family of the escapees on outstanding warrants for unrelated cases as part of the manhunt, Sheriff Matt Murray said.

Chandler said anyone caught assisting the fugitives will be charged with a felony.

Hester England, mother of escapee Michael England, addressed the media Wednesday with a plea to her son to turn himself in.

“This is involving our whole family,” she said with tears in her eyes. “Please turn yourself in. I’ll be there for you no matter what. Call me night or day, I’m there for you.”