Mexican authorities captured fugitives Ethan Couch, 18, and his mother Tonya Couch, 48, during a traffic stop in Puerto Vallarta on Monday.
In a mugshot released this morning, Ethan’s hair was dyed dark brunette to change his appearance and avoid capture.
Both fugitives are being held by Mexican authorities in a Mexican jail.
Tonya Couch faces a hindering apprehension charge when she is returned to Texas.
Ethan and his mother fled Texas after missing an appointment with his probation officer.
Ethan was sentenced to 10 years probation in 2013 after he killed four people while driving drunk at age 16.
The Tarant County Sheriff’s office reported that a “going away party” was thrown for Ethan and his mother before they left Texas.
Ethan and his mother fled earlier this month after a video surfaced online showing him attending a party where alcohol was served. Consuming alcohol is a violation of his probation.
A hearing is scheduled on Jan. 19 to transfer Ethan Couch’s juvenile probation to the adult system.
As it stands now, Texas authorities are bound by his juvenile sentence of 10 years probation which can be revoked. But here’s the catch: if Ethan’s juvenile probation sentence is revoked, he would stay in a juvenile facility until his 10th birthday (April 11, 2016), according to the Sheriff’s office.
If his juvenile sentence is upheld by a judge, he will remain in confinement for 4 months and then be released.
“That, in my opinion, is not a sufficient punishment for the taking of four lives,” said Tarant County District Attorney Sharen Wilson.
