Error Leads to Murder Suspect's Release from Jail

Authorities in LA County are searching for Steven Manzo
By Luke Roney,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 10, 2021 4:16 PM CST
Error Leads to Murder Suspect's Release from Jail
This 2018 photo released by the Long Beach Police Department shows murder suspect Steven Manzo, 23.   (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department via AP)

A murder suspect is at large in Southern California after he was mistakenly released from jail, NBC reports. Steven Manzo, 24, was released from a detention center in Lynwood following a court hearing during which the charges against him were dropped and immediately refiled, apparently leading to confusion about Manzo’s status, per CBS. "Upon further review, it was determined he should not have been released," a Long Beach police spokeswoman said. Manzo’s release sparked a manhunt and led to the temporary closure of a portion of the 101 Freeway. He reportedly fled across the freeway, still in jail clothes, and vanished.

Manzo was arrested in March 2020 in connection with the 2018 shooting death of Salvador Corrales in Long Beach, according to the Long Beach Press-Telegram. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Monday. "Our department will work with local agencies to make every effort to locate suspect Manzo to take him safely into custody," the Long Beach PD spokeswoman said. On Wednesday, the LA County Sheriff’s Office deflected the blame for setting Manzo free, tweeting: "The release was unequivocally not due to any 'mistake' or 'error'" by the agency and that inquiries about the incident should go to the LA District Attorney’s Office and the Long Beach police. (More Los Angeles County stories.)

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