Crime

Arkansas murder suspect Jatonia Bryant recaptured days after fellow escapee caught

January 30, 2024 / 5:53 AM EST / CBS/AP

Pine Bluff, Ark. — Arkansas authorities on Monday captured a detainee being held on murder charges who escaped a local jail.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said officers captured Jatonia Bryant on the east side of Pine Bluff, about 40 miles southeast of Little Rock, while he was walking in the area. Bryant was taken into custody without incident, the sheriff's office said in a release.

Jatonia Bryant, seen here in an undated photo, escaped from an Arkansas jail Jan. 20, 2024 and was recaptured nine days later, sheriff's officials said. Jefferson County, Arkansas Sheriff's Office

Bryant and Noah Roush were discovered missing from the Jefferson County jail, also known as the W.C. "Dub" Brassell Adult Detention Center, at around 10:30 a.m. local time on Jan. 22. However, Sheriff's Office operations commander Major Bean told CBS affiliate KTHV security video showed that the two had made their escape on the night of Saturday, Jan. 20.

Bryant, 23, was being detained on probable cause for a capital murder charge in connection with a 2023 shooting, according to authorities. Roush, 22, was being held on probable cause for residential burglary and theft of property charges.

Roush was captured Thursday. Both have been returned to the jail facility.

The sheriff's office on Monday said an internal investigation revealed that jail personnel didn't perform an accurate head count, which was why the two weren't discovered missing for 36 hours. The sheriff's office said it also planned to pursue criminal charges against anyone who assisted Bryant and Roush.