The two inmates — who were being held on murder charges — escaped Claiborne County Detention Center, with authorities saying one of the men was left with “a bad limp and an injury to his right leg,” before they were both found the next day.
Two murder suspects have been captured by police just one day after they escaped a Mississippi jail by climbing through the ceiling.
According to a statement shared on the Claiborne County Sheriff’s Department’s Facebook on Friday, Tyrekennel Collins, 24, Dezarrious Johnson, 18, escaped from the Claiborne County Detention Center in the middle of the night “at approximately 2:20 AM” on Friday morning.
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“These suspects are considered to be dangerous. Authorities urge all citizens to take necessary precautions,” police wrote, later adding, “The safety of the public is our highest priority, and we appreciate the community’s cooperation in this matter.”
According to NBC News, Chief Deputy Christy Sykes said Collins and Johnson — who were being held for murder charges out of Copiah County and Jefferson County, respectively — escaped the jail by climbing through a panel in the ceiling, which was located in a common area of the detention center. Sykes added that the two intimates reached a window, before using bed sheets to drop down to the ground.
NBC News said other inmates alerted staff about Collins and Johnson’s breakout. The outlet also noted that Sykes said police didn’t believe the Collins and Johnson were armed, and they did not have weapons on them when they escaped.
In Friday’s Facebook post, Claiborne County Sheriff’s Department said Johnson had a “bad limp” and injured his right leg during the escape.
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Following their breakout, police began searching, and Collins and Johnson were captured on Saturday. The Claiborne County Sheriff’s Department shared the update in a Facebook post, posting a live video of the capture.
In the video, Collins and Johnson are seen being escorted out of a home in handcuffs by two officers, and put into a police vehicle. According to NBC News, the sheriff claimed the two fugitives were found in an abandoned home and went to the location after the department received calls that the inmates were there.
Claiborne County Sheriff’s Department later shared a “message of gratitude” on Facebook following the capture of the fugitives.
“We extend our heartfelt thanks to the citizens of Claiborne County for your unwavering support and trust in our department,” the statement read in part. “We are also deeply grateful to the incredible agencies that assisted us in the recent manhunt.”
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Collins was arrested and charged with murder in Copiah County in October 2023 for allegedly killing his cousin, according to local NBC affiliate, WLBT.
Johnson, meanwhile, was charged with murder and aggravated assault in Jefferson County in 2022 in connection to the murder of one person and injuries to two others, per the Associated Press.
Sykes said, per NBC News, that both Collins and Johnson now face additional charges following their escape.
Meanwhile, Sykes also revealed that this was not a one-time incident, and inmates had previously escaped the same way.
“It’s been an issue,” she said. “We’re working closely with the board of supervisors to get this taken care of as soon as possible.”