The running prisoner “can’t get a shower at his mother’s house and get a meatloaf,” says one expert.
The prison where former Kansas State Police Chief was imprisoned for murder escaped prison
Grant Hardin, a former Arkansas gateway, fled from the North Central troops in Calico Rock on May 25th.
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For the fugitives, the odds are piled up against them.
With advances in surveillance technology and a surge in cameras and drones, today’s prison escape needs to be overcome much more than its predecessors, even a decade ago. Still, the work of law enforcement is meticulous and patience is a key factor as perseverance follows prisoners.
Such a drastic manhunt is currently active in rural New Orleans and Arkansas.
Louisiana police are looking for two of the 10 men who escaped prison custody by climbing the hole behind a toilet on May 10.
These breakouts have led residents living near the facility to the edge, shining the spotlight on inmate escapes, and many wonder how fugitives avoid arrests and what it takes for law enforcement to catch them.
Scott Duffy, a co-director at Wilmington University’s Criminal Justice Institute and a retired FBI agent who spent a decade focusing on fugitive anxiety, said that although it takes authorities to arrest fugitives different times, the end result is often the same.
“I would say I’m over 90% of the fugitives,” Duffy told USA Today. “It’s a very rare event that someone can stay in a relaxed state. It’s not impossible, it’s very difficult.”
How do investigators track fugitives?
After the breakout, authorities will notify all law enforcement agencies in the area, establish boundaries and scrutinize escape footage to determine which direction the fugitives have fled and which areas they will drive away, Duffey said.
While ground resources cover search efforts, investigators will delve into the background of fugitives and focus on up-to-date contacts, families and known crime peers.
“What they normally do is go straight to a known associate and try somewhere to find a place where they hide and bring food and other resources,” said Donald Lane, a former US Secret Service agent with decades of experience as a fugitive.
In addition to interviewing fugitive friends and relatives, authorities can also place them under surveillance.
“This is because people often lie to protect their family and close friends,” he said.
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How time works for fugitives
As the days go by, authorities will set up tip lines and flood the public with information about fugitives. The ubiquitous presence of smartphones and doorbell cameras makes the public play an important role in famous searches.
Potential leads also occur in the form of local crimes, such as robberies and carjackings, which can provide the police with important information such as the last known location of the theft, the latest appearance, and in some cases license plates of the stolen vehicle.
“When they rely on crime, it gives law enforcement a trail of bread crumbs, usually bringing them closer to arrest,” Duffy said.
Both Duffy and Lane emphasized that time is on the side of law enforcement as they burn resources while the fugitives are about to be hidden.
“The longer it gets, the more difficult it becomes for the fugitive,” Lane said. “It will be extremely difficult to get shelter, food, water and avoid human contact.”
Catching two fugitives is easier than finding 10
There are some harsh differences between New Orleans and Arkansas breakouts that affect ongoing searches.
In New Orleans, a group of 10 inmates fled the prison at the same time, forcing law enforcement to divide resources and attention.
“The massive amounts of individuals who escaped were completely amazing and it worked for their benefit,” Lane said. “But now, we’ve narrowed down to two individuals, so all of these resources are focused all the time.”
Currently they have Antoine Massey, 32, and Derrick Groves, 27. Massey was placed in prison on domestic abuse charges, including strangulation and car theft. He is also the subject of active warrants against charges, including rape and inducements. Groves was convicted of two murders and an attempted murder pair.
The other eight fugitives were arrested following high-speed pursuits, facial recognition technology flags and tips from the public. Police also announced the arrests of six people accused of helping them escape.
“The Ozark Devil” brings challenges to authorities
The Arkansas escape includes a former police chief who is well versed in the law enforcement procedures and the mountainous areas he escaped, poses some unusual challenges for investigators looking for Hardin.
“If you have a former police chief, he will know exactly what law enforcement is looking for and know how to avoid as many human contact as possible,” Lane said.
Still, Lane said the odds were in the interest of investigators.
He highlighted the unrest of Danello Cavalcante, a murder that escaped a Pennsylvania prison in September 2023 and avoided a two-week capture. He was detained in a wooded area after a thermal imaging camera picked up his thermal signal.
“In the end, it’s the same thing. (Hardin) is a fugitive and he’s still on the run,” Lane said. “He still won’t show up at his mother’s house to get a shower and get a meatloaf. You know. He may be difficult for him to understand at first, but he may still be caught over time.”
Experts say people should stay vigilant
Duffy and Lane said people living near jailbreak should take precautions like locking doors, but they shouldn’t panic completely.
“People who are in the vicinity of prisons and prisons should be wary and locked up everything – cars, garages, homes,” Duffy said. “All of these will be places to hide or find something to steal.”
He added that people can help law enforcement by reporting suspicious things and checking surveillance cameras and loop doorbells.
Bryce Peterson, an adjunct professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said in his study he found that 19% of inmates’ escapes resulted in some form of violence. The violence occurs most frequently during inmates making their first escape, and usually involves relatively minor crimes, such as pushing in correctional officers.
Peterson, a senior research scientist at CNA’s Center for Justice Research and Innovation, says that if a crime is committed during an outbreak, it is usually a theft crime.
Ultimately, fugitives want to avoid caution. In particular, Peterson said he could put investigators in his own way. However, he and other experts pointed out that over time, it has become increasingly desperate to escape prisoners, particularly those already convicted of major crimes like murder, and the risk that could turn into violence.
“There’s no doubt they’ll get caught all of them,” Lane said. “I hope it’s faster than it’s later.”
Contribution: Terry Collins
