Murder suspect who escaped is recaptured, say Ala. officials
ONEONTA, Ala. -- Authorities say a northern Alabama inmate who escaped while awaiting trial on murder charges is back in custody, reports CBS affiliate WIAT.
According to officials with the Blount County Correctional Facility, 25-year-old Justin MacNeill kicked in a fire door and jumped a fence about 5:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon. District Attorney Pamela L. Casey posted on Facebook that she was working with the sheriff to prevent similar escapes in the future, according to the station.
Casey also explained that by law, capital murder defendants are locked down 23 hours day and are allowed at least one hour in which they left out of their cell. It was during this one-hour time frame that the suspect escaped, she stated in the post.
In the Facebook post, Casey also said that the suspect has since been charged with new crimes after Saturday night's escape.
McNeil was awaiting trial in the July 2015 death of Myron Beavers in which he is accused of killing Beavers with a hatchet. He led authorities on a high speed chase before he was first apprehended during the summer, according to WIAT.