The UH alumnus suspected of defacing Pablo Picasso’s “Woman in a Red Armchair” in the Menil Collection turned himself in Tuesday at the Mexican border.
Charged on June 22, Uriel Landeros, 22, surrendered himself after the urging of his family and his lawyer, Emily Detoto, the Houston Chronicle said.
“I think he is a creative and intelligent person,” Detoto said. “I am pleased that he turned himself in, so we can start a very, very long process.”
A video captured on June 13 shows a man defacing the painting with a stencil showing a bull and the word “conquista” or “to conquer” in Spanish. The video description identifies the man by Landeros’s full name.
Landeros is being held in a county jail. His bail is set at $500,000. In August, Landeros posted a video confessing to the crime.
“I did this to turn heads, to raise awareness to the world, to make this a better place for everybody to live in,” Landeros said in the video. “My intention was never to destroy Pablo’s painting or insult the Menil. If I had wanted to destroy it, I would have ripped it with a knife or burnt it but that was never my intention. I’m sorry for insulting anyone who misunderstood my message.”
According to the Houston Chronicle, Detoto said Landeros may have been in Mexico since he fled Harris County. After trying to turn himself into authorities in Mexico for two days, Landeros went to the border and is expected to return to Harris County on Friday.
If convicted, he may face a maximum of 10 years in prison, the Houston Chronicle said. Detoto said her job has been made harder by his video confession.
“It certainly won’t be easy,” Detoto said. “But it isn’t end of the case.”
