Latest news with #prisonbreak
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Urgent manhunt for heavily tattooed prison inmate who escaped on a tractor two days ago
A manhunt is underway for an inmate who escaped a prison farm on a tractor. Michael Graeme Rennie, 43, was last seen using the machinery while working at Lotus Glen Low Custody Correctional Centre in far north Queensland. Rennie likely left the farm on a red tractor on Sunday morning, Detective Inspector Jason Chetham said. 'I haven't heard that one before,' he told reporters on Monday. 'There have obviously been prisoners abscond from the corrections centre up there in the past but I don't think anyone's left on a tractor.' Police are on the lookout for the heavily tattooed Rennie who is serving more than six years for motor vehicle, weapon, drug and other offences including serious assault, theft and burglary. Police have released a photo of Rennie and the tractor he was using when he escaped the Atherton Tablelands prison farm near Cairns on Sunday. 'The Tablelands is an agricultural centre so tractors on the road I don't think are something that would turn a lot of heads, but we're keen to find it anyway,' Det Insp Chetham said. Rennie is described as Caucasian and 174cm tall, with blue eyes and fair hair. He has multiple tattoos across his body including a gun on his left shoulder, a demon holding a skull with horns on his left arm, a full sleeve on his right arm. Rennie also has multiple dog bites and scars on his left arm, police said. He was from the state's far north and there had been a 'number of sightings' of the tractor, Det Insp Chetham said. 'We don't have specific concerns about what he might do in the community ... but we certainly ask people not to approach him and to call us immediately if they have any information,' he said. A 28-year-old man serving two years for break-and-enter offences escaped from the prison farm in February 2023, and was arrested three days later.
CBS News
6 days ago
- General
- CBS News
A former police chief known as the "Devil in the Ozarks" escaped prison in Arkansas. Here's what to know.
Manhunt continues in Arkansas for former police chief who escaped from prison Officials scoured Arkansas' rugged Ozark Mountains for a former police chief and convicted killer who escaped from prison over the weekend. Grant Hardin, who briefly served as police chief for the small town of Gateway, near the Arkansas-Missouri border, was serving a decadeslong sentence for murder and rape. Known as the "Devil in the Ozarks," he escaped Sunday from the North Central Unit, a medium-security prison in Calico Rock. Hardin's escape happened days after 10 men fled a New Orleans jail by going through a hole behind a toilet. Eight of those fugitives have since been captured. Here's what to know about Hardin and his escape: How did he escape? Hardin escaped from the prison Sunday afternoon by impersonating a corrections officer "in dress and manner," according to a court document. A prison officer opened a secure gate, allowing him to leave the facility. The outfit was not a standard inmate or correctional uniform, said Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Officials are working to determine how he was either able to get the uniform or manufacture it himself. Video surveillance shows Hardin escaped at about 2:55 p.m. on Sunday, Champion said. Officials announced his escape about two hours later. This image provided by the Arkansas Department of Corrections shows Grant Hardin, a former police chief and convicted killer, escaping the North Central Unit prison wearing a disguise in Calico Rock, Ark. Arkansas Department of Corrections via AP But how he got out of the prison and escaped into a rural part of the state, as well as whether he had any help is still unclear. Prison officials say they are investigating what led up to the escape "to help determine any assistance he may have had." "An active search remains in effect involving a number of law enforcement agencies from across the state," the Arkansas Department of Corrections said in an update Tuesday afternoon. Champion said the decision to house Hardin in a medium-security facility, which has a capacity of about 800 people, weighed the "needs of the different facilities and inmates" and "assessments" of his crimes. "As individuals go, there's very few people that have that many violent charges that they've been convicted of," said Bryan Sexton, the current prosecutor in Benton County, where Hardin was convicted in 2017. "Our law enforcement partners in that part of the state are working hard to make sure they pick him up as quickly as possible and get him back in custody." Why was he in prison? Hardin had been held at the Calico Rock prison since 2017 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder for fatally shooting James Appleton, 59. Appleton, a Gateway water department employee, was shot in the head in 2017. Police found his body inside a car. Hardin was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Hardin's DNA was entered into the FBI's Combined DNA Index System, and it matched the 1997 rape of a teacher at an elementary school in Rogers, a city in northwestern Arkansas. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison for that crime. He was a police officer in Eureka Springs, not far from Rogers, at that time. Cheryl Tillman, the mayor of Gateway, is one of Appleton's sister. CBS News' Ian Lee asked Tillman what her reaction was when she found out Hardin had escaped prison. "My heart just sank," Tillman said. "You know, I thought, oh my gosh, what are we gonna do now?" Tillman told CBS News that "anxiety is really high." "I get really nervous and scared. And I don't like guns, but we have one loaded now," Tillman said. His short tenure as police chief Hardin became police chief of Gateway, a town of about 450 people, in 2016. Virtually overnight, people in the community described in the 2023 HBO documentary "Devil in the Ozarks" a dramatic shift. "He was out chasing cars for no reason," said Tillman. "He was pulling guns on the citizens here in Gateway and then as time went on with him being the police chief things just started going down hill fast." The documentary revealed a crucial run-in between Hardin and Appleton in the Spring of 2016 in which Appleton stood up to Hardin about fixing a police car. A Benton county sheriff's office lieutenant described several times when they got into each other's faces and the dislike they both felt toward one another. The city council gave him an ultimatum: resign or be fired. He stepped down four months after taking the position and nine months later, he killed Appleton. The "Devil in the Ozarks" documentary The "Devil in the Ozarks" documentary revealed key details about the bubbling resentment Hardin felt toward Appleton as well as revealing accounts of the moments right before and after the murder. Then-Gateway Mayor Andrew Tillman, Cheryl Tillman's husband and Appleton's brother-in-law, described being on the phone with him when he was shot, while local resident John Bray spoke about driving past Appleton's car when the shooting happened. He was the first to find his body and identified Hardin as the shooter. "I heard what I thought was someone had fired a riffle," he said. "I went back and I seen it looked like he had been shot," he added, wiping away tears. The documentary also includes security video of Hardin at a restaurant with his family just after the shooting and the police interrogation in which he tells law enforcement he has "the right to be silent" and opted not to give a statement. The search for Hardin Authorities are using canines, drones and helicopters to search the rugged northern Arkansas terrain, Champion said. Although he did not reveal the exact areas of the search, he did say it has expanded as more time has elapsed since the escape. Officials have faced challenges searching the areas as it's very rocky and heavy rain has fallen in recent days. The area around the prison is a rural part of the state, which can make Hardin's escape more difficult. In a small community, there's a higher chance someone will recognize him and alert the authorities, said Craig Caine, a retired inspector with the U.S. Marshals who has handled many cases involving escaped prisoners. The Division of Correction and the Division of Community Correction are following leads with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.
CNN
6 days ago
- General
- CNN
Video: New Orleans escapees lead police on high-speed chase
Authorities have captured eight escapees after 10 prisoners escaped through a wall behind a toilet in a New Orleans jail cell. Two inmates were arrested in Texas after being involved in a high-speed chase with authorities.
CNN
6 days ago
- General
- CNN
5 things to know for May 27: Russia-Ukraine, Israel, Liverpool crash, National Security Council, Mass shootings
The manhunt continues for the last two of 10 inmates who escaped from a New Orleans jail earlier this month. Authorities are also searching for a former police chief serving time for rape and murder who fled from an Arkansas prison on Sunday. What prompted these prison breaks? CNN's Zoe Sottile discovered several factors, including staffing shortages, aging facilities and 'nothing to lose.' Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. Get '5 Things' in your inbox If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter. Russia launched overnight attacks on Ukraine on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, killing at least 29 people — including children— and wounding dozens more. The Kremlin's intensified aerial bombardment came as international pressure mounted on Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept a ceasefire proposal. Even President Donald Trump took issue with Putin's recent actions. 'I've always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!' Trump posted on Truth Social. On Monday, the Kremlin downplayed Trump's remarks, categorizing them as 'emotional reactions.' Also on Monday, Germany and other Ukrainian allies lifted restrictions on Kyiv firing long-range missiles into Russia following the massive aerial attacks, a move the Kremlin slammed as a 'dangerous' decision. A rally over the weekend in Tel Aviv's Hostage Square demanding the return of captives from Hamas included a special speaker: an Israel Defense Forces soldier who was freed during a ceasefire hostage deal in January. On Sunday, Na'ama Levy said one of her biggest fears in captivity involved the Israeli airstrikes. 'They (strikes) come unexpectedly. At first you hear the whistles, you pray that it won't fall on us, and then — the explosions, a noise so loud that it paralyzes the body, and the ground shakes,' Levy told a crowd of thousands. 'Every time, I was sure that this was the end of me. It was one of the scariest things I experienced there and that's also what endangered me more than anything.' Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that defeating Israel's enemies was the 'supreme objective,' more important than securing the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza. His comments drew backlash from representatives of hostage families. A 53-year-old British man was arrested on Monday after he allegedly drove into a crowd of fans attending the Liverpool Football Club's Premier League victory parade. Dozens of people, including four children, were injured in the incident. The event was just winding down when a gray minivan plowed into the soccer team's supporters, video from social media appeared to show. The angry crowd then surrounded and attacked the vehicle. Four people — three adults and one child — had to be removed from underneath the vehicle, according to officials. Police said they were not looking for any other suspects and were not treating the incident as terrorism. The crash 'has cast a very dark shadow over what had been a joyous day,' Liverpool city council leader Liam Robinson said in a post on X. The Trump administration has placed more than 100 officials at the National Security Council on administrative leave. The NSC is staffed by experts from across the government who help to coordinate the president's foreign policy agenda. Late Friday, the affected staffers received an email titled 'Your return to home agency.' The email stated they were dismissed and had 30 minutes to clean out their desks. Those put on leave included career officials as well as political hires made during the Trump administration. The move was reportedly part of a restructuring under interim national security adviser and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The terrible toll from mass shootings in America continues to climb. At least 10 people were shot in Little River, South Carolina, on Sunday after a holiday weekend gathering turned violent. Police released few details about the incident, including what prompted the gunfire, but did say that some of the injured were in critical condition. Detectives are still trying to determine who was responsible. Then on Monday night, two people were killed and nine others injured in a mass shooting in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park, authorities said. The names of the victims have not been released, but Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said an adult man and an adult woman had died. According to the Gun Violence Archive, as of May 27, there have been 122 mass shootings in the US this year. Team USA takes gold in SwedenFor the first time since 1933, the US men's hockey team triumphed at the IIHF World Championship tournament. During the trophy presentation, Team USA held up the jersey of Johnny Gaudreau, the former USA and NHL player who died last year, along with his brother, after they were fatally struck by a suspected drunken driver. Billie Eilish triumphs at AMAsAlthough she didn't attend the American Music Awards ceremony in Las Vegas, Eilish won all seven awards she was nominated for, including artist of the year, album of the year and song of the year. And the Palme d'Or goes to …Iranian director, screenwriter and producer Jafar Panahi, who had previously been imprisoned by the Iranian government, received the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival for his new movie. 'Trayvon Martin of the 1930s in Atlanta' honoredImam Plemon El-Amin recently took the stage at Morehouse College to accept his late uncle's honorary bachelor's degree in religion. El-Amin's uncle, Dennis Hubert, was an 18-year-old Black divinity student in 1930 when a mob of seven White men lynched him on the playground of an Atlanta school. Lorde of the danceFans attending a Lorde-themed club night in Sydney, Australia, were shocked and thrilled when the Grammy-winning singer showed up. Trailblazing New York congressman Charles Rangel dies at 94A civil rights activist and war hero, Rangel became one of the most influential Black politicians in modern history. The Democrat was elected to Congress in 1970 and would eventually serve 23 terms. He also co-founded the Congressional Black Caucus and became the first Black member and later chairman of the influential House Ways and Means Committee. 114 billionThat's about how many pennies are currently in circulation in the US. Although the Treasury Department recently announced plans to stop production of the one-cent coin, the penny will remain legal tender. 'As you navigate the world of bright possibilities that awaits you, I urge you to take on the challenge and the opportunity to serve your fellow citizens. Fifty years from now, you will want to be able to look in the mirror and know that you did what you thought was right, in every part of your life. At the end of the day, your integrity is all you have. Guard it carefully.' — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, in a speech at a pre-graduation ceremony at Princeton University amid months of unrelenting personal attacks from President Trump. Check your local forecast here>>> Teens save family from fire Two New York teens were on their way home from the junior prom when they spotted a large garage fire. They immediately began banging on the front door to warn the family inside.
CNN
7 days ago
- General
- CNN
5 things to know for May 27: Russia-Ukraine, Israel, Liverpool crash, National Security Council, Mass shootings
The manhunt continues for the last two of 10 inmates who escaped from a New Orleans jail earlier this month. Authorities are also searching for a former police chief serving time for rape and murder who fled from an Arkansas prison on Sunday. What prompted these prison breaks? CNN's Zoe Sottile discovered several factors, including staffing shortages, aging facilities and 'nothing to lose.' Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. Get '5 Things' in your inbox If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter. Russia launched overnight attacks on Ukraine on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, killing at least 29 people — including children— and wounding dozens more. The Kremlin's intensified aerial bombardment came as international pressure mounted on Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept a ceasefire proposal. Even President Donald Trump took issue with Putin's recent actions. 'I've always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!' Trump posted on Truth Social. On Monday, the Kremlin downplayed Trump's remarks, categorizing them as 'emotional reactions.' Also on Monday, Germany and other Ukrainian allies lifted restrictions on Kyiv firing long-range missiles into Russia following the massive aerial attacks, a move the Kremlin slammed as a 'dangerous' decision. A rally over the weekend in Tel Aviv's Hostage Square demanding the return of captives from Hamas included a special speaker: an Israel Defense Forces soldier who was freed during a ceasefire hostage deal in January. On Sunday, Na'ama Levy said one of her biggest fears in captivity involved the Israeli airstrikes. 'They (strikes) come unexpectedly. At first you hear the whistles, you pray that it won't fall on us, and then — the explosions, a noise so loud that it paralyzes the body, and the ground shakes,' Levy told a crowd of thousands. 'Every time, I was sure that this was the end of me. It was one of the scariest things I experienced there and that's also what endangered me more than anything.' Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that defeating Israel's enemies was the 'supreme objective,' more important than securing the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza. His comments drew backlash from representatives of hostage families. A 53-year-old British man was arrested on Monday after he allegedly drove into a crowd of fans attending the Liverpool Football Club's Premier League victory parade. Dozens of people, including four children, were injured in the incident. The event was just winding down when a gray minivan plowed into the soccer team's supporters, video from social media appeared to show. The angry crowd then surrounded and attacked the vehicle. Four people — three adults and one child — had to be removed from underneath the vehicle, according to officials. Police said they were not looking for any other suspects and were not treating the incident as terrorism. The crash 'has cast a very dark shadow over what had been a joyous day,' Liverpool city council leader Liam Robinson said in a post on X. The Trump administration has placed more than 100 officials at the National Security Council on administrative leave. The NSC is staffed by experts from across the government who help to coordinate the president's foreign policy agenda. Late Friday, the affected staffers received an email titled 'Your return to home agency.' The email stated they were dismissed and had 30 minutes to clean out their desks. Those put on leave included career officials as well as political hires made during the Trump administration. The move was reportedly part of a restructuring under interim national security adviser and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The terrible toll from mass shootings in America continues to climb. At least 10 people were shot in Little River, South Carolina, on Sunday after a holiday weekend gathering turned violent. Police released few details about the incident, including what prompted the gunfire, but did say that some of the injured were in critical condition. Detectives are still trying to determine who was responsible. Then on Monday night, two people were killed and nine others injured in a mass shooting in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park, authorities said. The names of the victims have not been released, but Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said an adult man and an adult woman had died. According to the Gun Violence Archive, as of May 27, there have been 122 mass shootings in the US this year. Team USA takes gold in SwedenFor the first time since 1933, the US men's hockey team triumphed at the IIHF World Championship tournament. During the trophy presentation, Team USA held up the jersey of Johnny Gaudreau, the former USA and NHL player who died last year, along with his brother, after they were fatally struck by a suspected drunken driver. Billie Eilish triumphs at AMAsAlthough she didn't attend the American Music Awards ceremony in Las Vegas, Eilish won all seven awards she was nominated for, including artist of the year, album of the year and song of the year. And the Palme d'Or goes to …Iranian director, screenwriter and producer Jafar Panahi, who had previously been imprisoned by the Iranian government, received the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival for his new movie. 'Trayvon Martin of the 1930s in Atlanta' honoredImam Plemon El-Amin recently took the stage at Morehouse College to accept his late uncle's honorary bachelor's degree in religion. El-Amin's uncle, Dennis Hubert, was an 18-year-old Black divinity student in 1930 when a mob of seven White men lynched him on the playground of an Atlanta school. Lorde of the danceFans attending a Lorde-themed club night in Sydney, Australia, were shocked and thrilled when the Grammy-winning singer showed up. Trailblazing New York congressman Charles Rangel dies at 94A civil rights activist and war hero, Rangel became one of the most influential Black politicians in modern history. The Democrat was elected to Congress in 1970 and would eventually serve 23 terms. He also co-founded the Congressional Black Caucus and became the first Black member and later chairman of the influential House Ways and Means Committee. 114 billionThat's about how many pennies are currently in circulation in the US. Although the Treasury Department recently announced plans to stop production of the one-cent coin, the penny will remain legal tender. 'As you navigate the world of bright possibilities that awaits you, I urge you to take on the challenge and the opportunity to serve your fellow citizens. Fifty years from now, you will want to be able to look in the mirror and know that you did what you thought was right, in every part of your life. At the end of the day, your integrity is all you have. Guard it carefully.' — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, in a speech at a pre-graduation ceremony at Princeton University amid months of unrelenting personal attacks from President Trump. Check your local forecast here>>> Teens save family from fire Two New York teens were on their way home from the junior prom when they spotted a large garage fire. They immediately began banging on the front door to warn the family inside.
