Kankakee County Prosecutors Continue Probe Of Jail Escape
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Kankakee County State's Attorney's office was reviewing mountains of evidence, as authorities try to piece together exactly how a convicted killer escaped the county jail, and made it to Chicago before he was captured.
Kamron Taylor, 23, overpowered a guard at the Jerome Combs Detention Facility around 3 a.m. Wednesday, stole the officer's uniform, and got past three locked doors before getting outside, and stealing the guard's personal vehicle.
He was captured late Friday night near 92nd Street and Stony Island Avenue in Chicago, following a brief foot chase.
His aunt, 50-year-old Tonya Grant, has been charged with obstruction of justice and aiding in an escape. A former guard at the jail, Grant allegedly provided Taylor with information that helped him escape.
Kankakee County State's Attorney Jamie Boyd said prosecutors are trying to determine whether anyone else should be charged in the case.
"He had help from somebody, or a group of people, because it just makes no sense to believe that he made it from Kankakee to Stony Island walking," he said.
Grant could face additional charges as the investigation goes on.
Investigators were still working to determine who else might have helped Taylor get out of the jail, or flee Kankakee after he ditched the guard's SUV in the driveway of a home about six miles away from the detention center.
"We're collating all the information from all the departments, and as we get all of that, we will make a charging decision, but at this point, no additional charges have risen out of the escape," he said.
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Kankakee County Sheriff Timothy Bukowski has said his office is investigating how Taylor got out of his cell, ambushed a guard, and then walked through at least three locked doors that required jail employees to buzz him through.
Bukowski has said it's apparent someone at the jail didn't do his or her job properly, but he also said recent budget cuts and layoffs could have been a factor.
"Staff was forced to work overtime and when that happens, they get tired, make mistakes. If I could have more people, that's where we'd like to be," Bukowski said.
At last check, the injured guard was still hospitalized, but improving.
Taylor was still in custody at Cook County Jail on Monday, and was due to appear before a Cook County judge on Tuesday. Meantime, he is awaiting sentencing on a first-degree murder charge in the 2012 shooting death of Nelson Williams Jr.
