Search continues for Rowan County inmate who escaped custody Tuesday
The search began around 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday after 35-year-old Anthony Martinez escaped police custody while at the University of Kentucky St. Claire Hospital.
This is not the first time the Indiana man has fled police. WDRB, the Louisville FOX affiliate, reported he escaped from custody in 2020.
Martinez was being held at the Rowan County Detention Center and was set to spend 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of armed robbery in 2022. He has been connected to at least four bank robberies.
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Search continues for Rowan County inmate who escaped custody Tuesday
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'That's all we really found, a couple of articles of clothing that could be his, and they were found not too far off of where they lost sight of him,' said Morehead Chief of Police Derrick Blevins.
The police said Martinez was outside the hospital with detention center guards when he took off running, heading eastbound.
Police continued to look for Martinez, and on Wednesday, the Eastern Kentucky K-9 unit stepped in to help.
'We deployed drones to try to look for him, we used some dogs to try to locate him, and we have detectives working with the jail to try and run down any leads there that we can,' Blevins said.
Search teams walked miles led by K-9, starting at the hospital, going through nearby neighborhoods, and even searching along Highway 60.
With Morehead State University and Rowan County Schools nearby, Blevins said they worked to quickly notify both.
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'On foot in areas, looking in any abandoned structures, areas of agitation where somebody might be able to hide, so that's what we've been focusing on today,' Blevins said.
Police said help from the public is important and encouraged anyone who believes they have seen Martinez, whether that be through home security footage or in person, to contact 911.
Anthony Martinez is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs around 210 pounds. He no longer has facial hair.
FOX 56 asked authorities why Martinez was away from the jail and at the hospital, and has not gotten an answer.
'While the individual was not a patient at the time of the incident, UK St. Claire remains committed to supporting the police as they investigate,' UK St. Claire spokesperson Kristi Willett told FOX 56.
Kentucky State Police and the Rowan County Sheriff's Office are also helping in the search.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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