Repeat bond violator Rickey Joiner evades capture, raising concerns about Harris County's monitoring system

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - Rickey Joiner is just one of many defendants in Harris County who repeatedly violates their bond conditions and then makes a run for it.

In August 2020, a man, who we'll call Joe, caught two men trying to steal his catalytic converter.

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While he tried to pull 21-year-old Johnathan Gipson out from under his car, he spotted 22-year-old Rickey Joiner.

"He started shooting at me, and I started to return fire," said Joe. "I was hit in the leg almost immediately."

"Mr. Joiner gets charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon," said Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers. "He's out on bond under electronic monitoring, and they issued a bond violation report way back in April 2021."

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Even though Joiner forfeited his bond, 337th Criminal District Court Judge Coleen Gaido reinstated it in 2021.

Gipson, who also violated his bond conditions, pled guilty and is serving seven years in prison.

Last November, Joiner once again failed to show up in court. He's been a wanted fugitive ever since.

"This guy is dangerous. He's going to hurt somebody," Joe said. "He's already shot me over a catalytic converter, and now he's even more desperate. He's on the run."

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No one in the Harris County Criminal Justice System is keeping track of just how many defendants out on bond are now wanted fugitives.

"These are very dangerous individuals," Kahan said. "They've already thumbed their nose at the court. They've already said we are not going to comply with anything, so what makes you think they will comply with the laws of society."

"They just seem to think, well when he pops up, we'll arrest him at that time," said Joe. "So nobody is actively looking for him, and when he does pop up, it's going to be like the rest of your segments. Somebody is going to be on the other end of that kid, and they're going to be dead."