Dangerous escapee still on the loose

Alexander Scott Ervin, an escapee from North Texas State Hospital is still on the loose and considered extremely dangerous.

“If you see this individual, do not approach him. Contact police immediately,” Vernon Police Chief Randy Agan said.

Ervin was at the hospital for treatment since 2018. He had been acquitted by reason of insanity of murder in the 2013 stabbing death of his father in Austin. He is described as a 29 year old white male wearing tan pants, white shirt, grey hoodie, black shoes. He is 5 ft. 8 inches tall, 206 lbs. He is bald with a mustache.

Vernon Police reported that they received a call from NTSH at 7:28 a.m. Monday that Alexander Scott Ervin, 29, was unaccounted for. NTSH Staff  advised police that they were unsure if he was still behind the fence or outside the fence. A lockdown of Vernon College, and other west Vernon facilities was called for, as several children’s activities were underway.

A review of the hospital’s security video revealed that Ervin had left his maximum security dormitory room about 9 p.m. Sunday, made his way out two interior doors that were supposed to be secure and scaled the hospital’s 10-foot security fence before heading north on foot about 9:15 p.m.

Ervin was to be considered armed and extremely dangerous, police said, due to a history of making shanks.

Ervin, who is autistic, was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity in Ray Scott Ervin’s death during a 2014 trial. Testimony at the trial stated Ervin attacked his father with a pipe wrench and a folding knife, alleging that he was an imposter. Ervin claimed to be a trained assassin of the CIA on a mission to kill his father.