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Post by Warning on Jul 12, 2009 14:43:35 GMT -5
# offenders are missing fromm the Indiana State Prison. 2 of the offenders are in for Murder and the thirs is in for Rape and Criminal Confinement.
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Post by CERT on Jul 13, 2009 15:17:13 GMT -5
3 Inmates Missing From Indiana Prison Updated: Monday, 13 Jul 2009, 7:15 AM CDT Published : Sunday, 12 Jul 2009, 4:42 PM CDT
Police officers are on the lookout for three prisoners who prison officials said escaped Sunday morning from the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City.
The three men, two serving time for murder and the third for rape, were discovered missing at 10 a.m. from their housing units.
A press release from the prison said the prison was placed on lockdown and a search of the prison was conducted.
The missing offenders are:
* Lance Battreal. Battreal is a white male, age 45, from Rockport. He was sentenced in 1998 to 50 years for rape, 20 years concurrent for criminal confinement and three years consecutive for stalking. His projected release date is Oct. 16, 2047.
* Charles Smith. Smith is a white mail, age 48, from New Castle. He was sentenced in 1999 to 95 years for murder. His projected release date is May 31, 2045. He has a tattoo of a scorpion on his right hand and a cross with dots on his left hand.
* Mark Booher. Booher is a white male, age 46 from New Castle. He was sentenced in 1999 to 65 years for murder and 20 years consecutively for robbery. His projected release date is May 11, 2041.
The search for the escapees continues in the nearby community, with the assistance of the Indiana State Police, La Porte County Sheriff's Department, local law enforcement agencies and staff from nearby correctional facilities, the press release said.
Battreal and Smith may have both recently cut their hair or shaved it, according to the press release.
While the nature and circumstances surrounding the escape are under investigation, it appears that they escaped by getting past the bars in the tunnels and pipe chases under the prison grounds, the press release said. All three should be considered dangerous.
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Post by Finn Fann on Jul 13, 2009 15:21:20 GMT -5
Three inmates escape Indiana State Prison
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. (AP) — Police and prison guards aided by search dogs hunted Sunday for two convicted killers and a third man who escaped the maximum-security Indiana State Prison, apparently through underground tunnels and pipes.
All three men were considered dangerous, and prison officials used a telephone notification system to send alerts to nearby residents and others. It was not known if any of the men had weapons.
Authorities identified the men as Charles Smith, 48, and Mark Booher, 46, both of New Castle, and Lance Battreal, 45, of Rockport. Smith and Booher were convicted of murder in the 1990s. Battreal was serving time for rape. All three faced at least 30 more years behind bars.
Indiana State Police, federal marshals and local police and sheriff's deputies joined prison guards in searching for the three.
But authorities did not know where the men might be headed, Indiana Department of Correction spokesman Doug Garrison said. Investigators were poring over visitor logs and talking to the men's relatives in hopes of finding leads, Garrison said.
The men were discovered missing from their housing units around 10 a.m. Sunday, Garrison said. The prison said in a news release that it appeared they escaped by getting past the bars in the tunnels and pipe chases under the prison grounds. Garrison said it looked as if bars were removed.
The prison sits in a neighborhood on the outskirts of Michigan City, about 30 miles west of South Bend and not far from Lake Michigan and the Michigan state line.
Smith was sentenced in 1999 to 95 years for murder and had a projected release date in 2045. He has a tattoo of a scorpion on his right hand and a cross with dots on his left hand, the prison said.
Booher was sentenced in 1999 to 65 years for murder and 20 years for robbery. His projected release date was in 2041.
Battreal was sentenced in 1998 to 50 years for rape, 20 years for criminal confinement and three years for stalking. His projected release date was in 2047.
Additional details about their convictions were not immediately available from the Department of Correction.
Battreal and Smith may have both recently cut their hair or shaved it, the prison said.
New Castle and Rockport, the men's hometowns, are both more than 140 miles from the prison. New Castle is about 30 miles east of Indianapolis, and Rockport is about 30 miles east of Evansville.
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Post by Lost but now found on Jul 13, 2009 15:23:57 GMT -5
Prison escapee caught near Daley home in Grand Beach SBT24/7 News and AP Report
This story was originally posted at 6:20 a.m. July 13, 2009.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Police say that one of three weekend escapees from Indiana State Prison in Michigan City has been caught in the Grand Beach community in Berrien County, near the summer home of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley.
Grand Beach Police Chief Dan Schroeder tells SBT24/7 News that 48-year-old Charles Smith was apprehended at gunpoint in the driveway of a home on East McKean Drive.
Mayor Daley says he was inside his southwestern Michigan vacation home with his wife and three young grandchildren at the time.
Police were called about 6:40 a.m. Monday when a woman who lives in the 49000 block of East McKean, along Lake Michigan, became involved in what Schroeder described as a “verbal altercation” with one of the suspects.
The argument did not escalate and no one was injured, but the woman called police.
An officer on the mayor's security detail recognized the two men as fitting the descriptions of the escapees. He held Smith at gunpoint with the help of a Grand Beach officer, while the other man escaped into the woods.
“The hunt is on for the other one,” Schroeder said of the second suspect.
The second man has been identified as Mark Booher, 46, of New Castle. Booher was waering blue shorts over gray sweatpants, a white T-shirt, was said to be very dirty and may have been carrying a plastic bag.
Indiana State Police at the Lowell Post tell SBT24/7 News they have officers assisting area agencies and federal marshals at that scene.
“It's an ongoing incident right now,” the ISP spokesman said. “We're in the middle of it as we speak.”
The area is just north of the Indiana-Michigan state line where police have searched for the suspects much of the night.
Roads to the beachfront neighborhood are blocked off, including access to the 50000 block of Calla Avenue, where the City of Chicago has kept a satellite Grand Beach office.
Helicopters were hovering overhead as police continued to maintain a perimeter around the area.
Overnight, too, with helicopters overhead and K-9 dog teams, officers followed up on a report that the escapees may have been spotted along the Indiana-Michigan state line near Long Beach, Ind.
The reported sighting of the Indiana men, who escaped Sunday morning from the prison in Michigan City, happened around midnight near U.S. 12, according to the LaPorte County Sheriff's Department.
That's in an area northeast of Michigan City.
John Schrader, public information officer for the Westville Correctional Facility, told SBT24/7 News that the men were not found after several hours and police were thinking of calling off the search.
But that was before reports that the security officer had discovered one of the suspects while working her detail at the Daley home along the beach.
Earlier, officers with K9 dogs said their animals had picked up the scent of at least one of the escapees, police said, and evidence in the area suggested a suspect police were tracking. That evidence included disrupted brush and vegetation, but LaPorte County authorities did not release other details.
Police then headed toward the intersection of County Road West 1000 North and North 500 West, right at the state line near Grand Beach.
Police are still loking for the third escaped inmate, 45-year-old Lance Battreal of Rockport.
Long Beach officers were assisted in the search by personnel from the prison and the Michigan City Police, along with Indiana State Police, Michigan State Police and the LaPorte County officers.
The LaPorte County Sheriff's Department also said they were doing some door-to-door checks in Springfield Township neighborhoods.
The three escapees, including two convicted killers, apparently left the maximum-security Indiana State Prison through underground tunnels and pipes.
All three men were considered dangerous, and prison officials used a telephone notification system to send alerts to nearby residents and others.
It was not known if any of the men had weapons.
Smith and Booher were convicted of murder in the 1990s. Battreal was serving time for rape. All three faced at least 30 more years behind bars.
Federal marshals also have assisted with the search. But authorities did not know where the men might be headed, Indiana Department of Correction spokesman Doug Garrison said. Investigators pored over visitor logs and talking to the men's relatives in hopes of finding leads, Garrison said.
The men were discovered missing from their housing units around 10 a.m. Sunday, Garrison said. The prison said in a news release that it appeared they escaped by getting past the bars in the tunnels and pipe chases under the prison grounds. Garrison said it looked as if bars were removed.
The prison sits in a neighborhood on the outskirts of Michigan City, about 30 miles west of South Bend and not far from Lake Michigan and the Michigan state line.
Smith was sentenced in 1999 to 95 years for murder and had a projected release date in 2045. He has a tattoo of a scorpion on his right hand and a cross with dots on his left hand, the prison said.
Booher was sentenced in 1999 to 65 years for murder and 20 years for robbery. His projected release date was in 2041.
Battreal was sentenced in 1998 to 50 years for rape, 20 years for criminal confinement and three years for stalking. His projected release date was in 2047.
Battreal and Smith may have both recently cut their hair or shaved it, the prison said.
New Castle and Rockport, the men's hometowns, are both more than 140 miles from the prison. New Castle is about 30 miles east of Indianapolis, and Rockport is about 30 miles east of Evansville.
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Post by DOC on Jul 13, 2009 15:52:16 GMT -5
Search is on for escaped prisoners Convicted killers, rapist break out of Michigan City facility Star and news service reports 2:56 PM -- One prison escapee caught in Michigan. GRAND BEACH, Mich. — A convicted killer who escaped from the Indiana State Prison was caught Monday near the Michigan vacation home of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley by an officer on the mayor's security detail, authorities said. Police warned nearby residents to stay inside because two other escapees were still on the loose. The three men were discovered missing Sunday morning from the maximum-security prison in Michigan City, Ind., apparently escaping through underground tunnels and pipes, the Indiana Department of Correction said. Daley said he was at his southwestern Michigan vacation home early Monday with his wife and three grandchildren when one of his guards saw two men fitting the descriptions of the escapees near the house in Grand Beach, Mich. The officer caught 48-year-old Charles Smith at gunpoint in a driveway near Daley's home, and police later arrived and took him into custody, said Grand Beach Police Chief Dan Schroeder. The other man ran off into the woods, Daley said. Schroeder said police believe the other man seen near Daley's home was one of the escapees — convicted killer Mark Booher, 46, of New Castle, Ind. Police told residents to lock their doors and not go outside. “Until this individual is apprehended, I don't want them to take any chances,” Schroeder said. Authorities also were looking for the third escapee, convicted rapist Lance Battreal, 45, of Rockport, Ind. Daley said he didn't think the escaped convicts were targeting him or his home, located about eight miles from the Indiana prison. “I think they were lost,” Daley told reporters in Chicago later Monday. The three men were in the same housing unit at the state prison, but it's unclear how they knew each other, said Indiana Department of Correction spokesman Doug Garrison. Prison officials were talking to people who knew the inmates, including people on their visitation or e-mail lists and family and friends. Smith, Booher and Battreal started serving time in the late 1990s and all faced at least 30 more years behind bars. The prison sits in a neighborhood on the outskirts of Michigan City, about 30 miles west of South Bend and not far from Lake Michigan and the Michigan state line. 7:07 AM -- Escapees still on the run today MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. — The search continues for two convicted killers and a third inmate who escaped from the maximum-security Indiana State Prison in Michigan City over the weekend. State police said early Monday that none of the men had yet been captured. Prison officials say the men were found missing about 10 a.m. Sunday. A state prison agency spokesman says it appears the three escaped by somehow getting past bars in the tunnels and pipe chases under the grounds of the prison about 30 miles west of South Bend. Authorities identified the men as 48-year-old Charles Smith and 46-year-old Mark Booher both of New Castle and 45-year-old Lance Battreal of Rockport. Smith and Booher were convicted of murder in the 1990s. Battreal was serving time for rape. EARLIER -- Search is on for escaped prisoners MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. -- Police and prison guards aided by search dogs hunted Sunday for two convicted killers and a rapist who escaped the maximum-security Indiana State Prison, apparently through underground tunnels and areas for pipes. All three men were considered dangerous, and prison officials used a telephone notification system to send alerts to nearby residents and others. It was not known whether any of the men had weapons. One of the fugitives is an antiques dealer who was convicted in Indianapolis in the 1998 stabbing of another antiques dealer. Mark Booher, 46, New Castle, was serving 65 years for murder and 20 for robbery in the killing of Timothy Lee Laflen, 37, at Laflen's home in the 5100 block of East Michigan Street. The other two escapees were Charles Smith, 48, New Castle, and Lance Battreal, 45, Rockport. Smith was sentenced to 95 years for murder in 1999 in Henry County. Battreal was serving 50 years for rape, criminal confinement and stalking in Spencer County; he was sentenced in 1998. All three faced at least 30 more years behind bars. Indiana State Police, federal marshals, and local police and sheriff's deputies joined prison guards in searching for the three. But authorities did not know where the men might be headed, Indiana Department of Correction spokesman Doug Garrison said. Investigators were poring over visitor logs and talking to the men's relatives in hopes of finding leads, Garrison said. The men were discovered missing from their housing units about 10 a.m. Sunday, Garrison said. The prison said in a news release that it appeared they escaped by getting past the bars in the tunnels and areas for pipes under the prison grounds. Garrison said it looked as if bars were removed. Henry County Sheriff Butch Baker said the family of Smith's victim and witnesses in his trial have been contacted. He said the police know where Smith's and Booher's relatives live and will keep an eye on those places in case they come back. "It's been a long time; I don't know what kind of contacts Charlie (Smith) still has," Baker said. "And since Booher was convicted in Marion (County), most of the principals in his trial are located there." Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Lt. Jeff Duhamell said the department has a liaison who works with the U.S. Marshals Service to catch fugitives. "I assume they'll be setting surveillance on points he might return to," he said. Booher was an antiques dealer based out of his family's store in the Henry County town of Dunreith. He befriended Laflen, a Federal Express employee, in 1998 through their interest in antiques and motorcycles. Laflen's body was found at the edge of his carport three days after Booher visited in January 1998. He had been stabbed repeatedly in the kitchen of his home, and the attacker had shoveled snow over his body in the carport to hide it. Booher had taken Laflen's ring, watch, a gold nugget, two checkbooks and an umbrella stand from Laflen's home. Booher and his girlfriend, who testified at his trial, later forged signatures on some of Laflen's checks to make purchases. They fled to Washington, D.C., then to California, where they were arrested. The girlfriend was not charged. Smith has a tattoo of a scorpion on his right hand and a cross with dots on his left hand, the prison said. Battreal and Smith may have recently cut their hair or shaved it, the prison said. The prison sits in a neighborhood on the outskirts of Michigan City, about 30 miles west of South Bend and not far from Lake Michigan. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Post by Doc2 on Jul 14, 2009 17:56:17 GMT -5
Search called off for two Indiana prison fugitives Story Highlights NEW: Law enforcement officials call off search, saying they have no leads
The three escaped Sunday through tunnels, prison spokesman said
One escapee was captured Monday about eight miles from the prison
(CNN) -- Authorities have called off the active search for two of three inmates who escaped from an Indiana prison over the weekend, but they still are following leads to find them, the state Department of Correction said Tuesday.
One of the inmates, 48-year-old Charles Smith, was captured Monday. The other two men -- a convicted murderer and a convicted rapist -- remained at large after Sunday's escape from the Indiana State Prison at Michigan City in northwest Indiana.
The Indiana State Police called off the formal search for them Monday evening in the Grand Beach, Michigan, area where Smith was captured because no sign of the men had been found, Indiana Department of Correction spokesman John Schrader told CNN on Tuesday.
"We don't know where to look," he said.
Grand Beach is in southwestern Michigan, about eight miles from the prison in Indiana.
Officials are continuing to follow additional leads provided by the public and by prison officials in their search for the two men, authorities said.
Mark Levenhagen, Indiana State Prison superintendent, said Tuesday afternoon that the facility was still on lockdown.
The inmates apparently escaped through underground tunnels. Authorities are trying to figure out how they gained access to them.
"At this stage, we don't know exactly how that happened," said Douglas Garrison, the chief of communications for the Indiana Department of Correction.
"It is known that two of the escapees had worked as assistants with maintenance staff at the prison. Whether they ever worked in the tunnels or under what circumstances is still under investigation," according to a written statement from the department.
Iron bars and gates that were broken in the tunnels have been repaired, and officials are looking at additional security in those areas, he said.
The prison was built around 1860, and the tunnels -- lined with brick and concrete -- carry pipe chases and sewer lines, Schrader explained.
Photos from the department show that someone smashed through iron bars blocking access to the tunnel and made a hole in a brick wall large enough to crawl through.
"Right now, there's no sightings. We're just trying to talk with people that we know they know, trying to develop leads as to where these guys may be going," Garrison said. The men have relatives in Indiana.
Smith, who was serving time on a murder charge, was captured near the Michigan vacation home of Richard Daley, the mayor of Chicago, Illinois.
Daley told reporters he was with his wife and three grandchildren at the time of the capture.
A Chicago police officer assigned to Daley's security detail spotted Smith and a man who may have been another escapee walking near the house at 5:30 a.m., the mayor said. Smith was taken into custody and handed over to the Grand Beach Police Department. The other man escaped into the woods.
Smith left the prison with convicted murderer Mark Booher, 46, and convicted rapist Lance Battreal, 45, Schrader said.
Smith was sentenced in 1999 to a 95-year sentence for murder. Battreal was sentenced in 1998 to 50 years for rape, criminal confinement and stalking. Booher was sentenced in 1999 to 65 years for murder and robbery.
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Post by City Boy on Jul 16, 2009 5:41:50 GMT -5
Prison Guards May Have Been Negligent In Escape Murderer, Rapist Still At Large POSTED: 3:50 pm EDT July 15, 2009
UPDATED: 4:19 pm EDT July 15, 2009
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. -- The Indiana Department of Correction commissioner said Wednesday that three guards may be negligent in the escape of three violent inmates Sunday.A convicted killer and a convicted rapist remain at large after three men escaped through underground tunnels from the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City.Commissioner Edwin G. Buss said in a statement that an internal investigation revealed that three correction officers may not have been supervising the prisoners correctly as they worked in the tunnels.He said investigators believe that the inmates had "unauthorized and unsupervised access to the tunnels on numerous occasions in the recent past."The guards have been suspended pending an investigation.Charles Smith, 48, was caught Monday in Grand Beach, Mich., about eight miles from the prison.Those escapees still being sought are 46-year-old Mark Booher, of New Castle, who was convicted in 1999 of an Indianapolis murder, and 45-year-old Lance Battreal, a convicted rapist who assaulted an Evansville girl while threatening her with a hammer.
Indiana State Prison An anonymous tip line has been established at 1-800-78-CRIME for anyone with information regarding the inmates' whereabouts, or tips can be submitted online.Those who provide information that leads to their capture could be eligible for a $6,000 reward.
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Post by Greener on Jul 16, 2009 15:11:47 GMT -5
Escaped inmate spotted in Michigan City 3 officers may have been negligent in escape Updated: Wednesday, 15 Jul 2009, 6:08 PM EDT Published : Wednesday, 15 Jul 2009, 4:11 PM EDT
Gene Rodriguez Edited by Hyacinth Williams INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - U.S. Marshals and local authorities in Michigan City say someone may have spotted one of the missing inmates.
Investigators say someone saw a man fitting the description of Mark Booher a convicted killer who authorities say escaped from an Indiana State Prison with Lance Battreal and Chris Smith early Sunday morning.
Smith was apprehended the next day in Grand Beach Michigan, but Booher and Battreal remain on the loose.
A helicopter and police dogs are being used to search the area where Booher was sighted.
The convicted killer wasn't expected to leave prison until 2041.
"In terms of what they were convicted for these are not upstanding citizens. These are the worst of the worst that's why we've committed our entire resources within the Marshal Service toward focusing on apprehending these subjects," said Shannon Robinson of the U.S. Marshal Service.
Meanwhile, convicted rapist Lance Battreal has not been seen since the escape.
He had been convicted of rape before, served his time and after his release raped again. He wasn’t scheduled to be released from prison until 2047. Deputies have warned his victims in southern Indiana and northern Kentucky.
"The sheriff personally as well as other officers within our department has been in constant communication with the family," said Lt. Col. Jeff Jones of Daviess County Sheriff's Office.
Meanwhile, an internal investigation into the escape has determined that 3 correctional officers may have been negligent in supervising the offenders.
Standing Post orders require constant supervision of offenders when they are working in the tunnels. Investigators believe that the offenders had unauthorized and unsupervised access to the tunnels on numerous occasions in the recent past.
At this time, authorities don’t believe the officers were aware of the escape plans. All three have been suspended pending completion of the investigation.
Booher and Battreal are considered extremely dangerous.
An anonymous tip line has been set up for information on either inmate’s whereabouts. It is (800) 78-CRIME.
Information that leads to their capture is eligible for a $6,000 reward.
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Post by Greener on Jul 16, 2009 15:13:57 GMT -5
13 Investigates exclusive: Former inmate arrested after prison break
Posted: July 15, 2009 03:51 PM EDT
Updated: July 15, 2009 06:40 PM EDT
Video Gallery <1|2>
11pm Prison break update 2: 03 Prison break exclusive 3:30
Prison break update 1:41 NEWS LINKS New search under way for escaped prison inmate HEADLINES Police: Phone scam targets elderly Mother launches hip hop learning DVDs for toddlers New search under way for escaped prison inmate Indiana casino fined over Justin Timberlake no-show Crash slows traffic on I-69 NB Couples lobby for infertility treatment coverage Black Expo taps stars to spread message GOP envisions August Senate vote on Sotomayor Sears Tower renamed to Willis Tower Crews start cleanup after fiery Detroit area crash Sandra Chapman/13 Investigates
Michigan City - Two dangerous inmates remain at large three days after a prison break from an Indiana maximum security prison. Three prison guards were suspended for negligence in failing to supervise the prisoners.
The three inmates who escaped somehow gained access to tunnels and underground pipes to make their escape. Cutting bars from those tunnels could have taken several days or weeks to complete.
13 Investigates is learning more about the possibility that the men had outside help, and a convict sentenced in a notorious Indiana crime is back behind bars.
Months ago, the three Michigan City prison escapees said good-bye to fellow inmate 44-year-old Paul Komyatti.
At 17, Komyatti was sentenced to 100 years for murder and conspiracy. He and family members stabbed and decapitated his own father. He even tried to escape from the Hamilton County Jail.
In May, Komyatti was allowed to go free with time for good behavior and earning a bachelor's and two associates degrees.
But 13 Investigates has learned Komyatti was re-arrested in Indianapolis on Tuesday after US Marshals showed up at his home with questions about the Michigan City prison break.
According to records obtained from the DOC Parole office: "Komyatti admitted to being in Michigan City on 7/10. He left Indianapolis around 5:00 pm and went to the Dunes State Park in Michigan City and arrived there around dark, approximately 9:30 pm. He then went to the Blue Chip Casino...and ran into a current or former Correctional Officer...spoke for a few minutes."
After a few hours, Komyatti says he returned to Indianapolis at around 3:30 am the next day. He denies having any contact with the escapees, but admits knowing the guys from Cell Block I.
"These men were in what we call a honored cell house. I wouldn't describe them as model but they were in a dorm that entitles them to more privileges because of their behavior; their good behavior," said Doug Garrison, Indiana Dept. of Corrections.
Garrison would not elaborate about any possible connection between Komyatti and the recent prison break.
Charles Smith, 48, of New Castle was recaptured Monday eight miles from the State Prison. 45-year-old rapist Lance Battreal of Rockport and 46-year-old murderer Mark Booher of New Castle are still on the run.
Wednesday, three Michigan City Correctional Officers were suspended for neglect in supervising two of the offenders doing maintenance work near the tunnels. Investigators now believe the offenders had unauthorized and unsupervised access to the tunnels on numerous occasions.
Garrison said there was no indication that the guards assisted the inmates in the escape.
Komyatti is now being held at the State Prison at Michigan City on parole violations for unauthorized travel and driving without a valid license. His girlfriend confirms he lived on the same floor as the escapees.
The prison, meantime, remains on lockdown.
Reward increased
The reward for information leading to the capture of the two remaining escapees is now up to $6,000.
You can submit a tip regarding the current or potential whereabouts of 46-year-old Mark Booher of New Castle or 45-year-old Lance Battreal at 1-800-78CRIME (1-800-782-7463) or to go online. WeTip operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with English and Spanish speaking operators. Tipsters will remain anonymous.
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Post by Hot Seat on Jul 17, 2009 21:03:10 GMT -5
www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=10746667DOC commissioner discusses mistakes leading to prison break Michigan City - Indiana's top boss at the Department of Corrections is on the hot seat following that prison break at Michigan City's maximum security facility. Commissioner Ed Buss believes 45-year-old convicted rapist Lance Battreal and 46-year-old convicted killer Mark Booher are still hiding out in northwest Indiana. 13 Investigates sat down with the commissioner and uncovered new details of what went wrong. A year into the job, Commissioner Ed Buss has faced sleepless nights on the hunt for three prison escapees. One got caught, but two others still on the run from an honors dorm at a facility that's supposed to be airtight - a prison where the worst of the worst live. "These officers thought they could trust these inmates," Buss said. That was the first mistake. Corrections officers let down their guard and gave the escapees unsupervised access that allowed them to cut their way to freedom. It appears it wasn't just a work-site breach, but one underneath the dorm where the offenders slept, perhaps explaining how they got out undetected. "They violated their post orders and allowed offenders to get into the tunnel system and in the midway system which are pipe chases in the cell house as well," Buss said. "They took shortcuts in doing their job and because of that we have three men who escaped." It's particularly disturbing to Buss, who up until last year served as the superintendent at the maximum security prison. During his tenure, there was work in the tunnels, but under close watch. Now the investigation reveals a second security lapse, this one empowering critical communication banned in prison. The inmates may have had some outside ability to communicate? "We found a cell phone charger in one of the offenders' property," said Buss. Finally, questions continue to swirl around convicted killer Paul Komyatti who was set free in May. He lived in the same cell block with the escapees. US marshals questioned him about the jail break and arrested him on parole violations Tuesday at his Indianapolis home. He admits to unauthorized travel to Michigan City under the dark of night. "I cannot comment at this time on that," Buss said. The commissioner suspended the three correctional officers and vows to do everything humanly possible to secure the state's maximum security prisons and those tunnels. They're looking at installing motion detectors and stainless steel bars. Offenders will no longer be able to do any maintenance work in those areas and guards will face additional training.
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Post by IDOCO on Jul 21, 2009 5:37:25 GMT -5
TheIndyChannel.com
2nd Escaped Inmate Captured Man Found In Southern Indiana
SPENCER, Ind. -- A second of three prison inmates who escaped from the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City on July 12 has been captured.
A South Bend television station reported that Lance Battreal, 45, was taken into custody just after 1 a.m. Tuesday in Rockport, in Spencer County.
U.S. Marshals found Battreal at the home of his mother. He had escaped, along with Charles Smith, 49, and Mark Booher, 46.
Smith was captured the next morning in Michigan. Authorities are still searching for Booher.
Battreal is a convicted rapist. Booher and Smith were both convicted of murder.
An anonymous tip line was established at 1-800-78-CRIME for anyone with information about Booher's whereabouts. Tips can also be submitted online.
Those who provide information that leads to Booher's capture could be eligible for a $6,000 reward.
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Post by Greener on Jul 22, 2009 5:46:26 GMT -5
Captured inmates are put in high-security cells at 2 prisons Convicted rapist found asleep in his parents' Rockport home; 1 State Prison escapee still at large By Kevin O'Neal Posted: July 22, 2009. Post a Comment RecommendE-mailPrintShare.A A .The two Indiana State Prison inmates recaptured after their July 12 escape are in the most secure prison cells available -- and they're 140 miles apart. Convicted rapist Lance Battreal, 45, who was arrested Tuesday, is at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in western Indiana. Convicted murderer Charles Smith is at the Westville Correctional Facility in Northern Indiana.
Both are in high-security cells, said Doug Garrison, spokesman for the Indiana Department of Correction. "We want to keep them separate and to ensure they don't go anywhere," he said. "We want to keep them under the strictest of confinement -- they've demonstrated they're dangerous -- and we're continuing to make sure that's not going to happen again." Still on the loose is Mark Booher, 46, New Castle, who was convicted of murdering a man on the Eastside of Indianapolis. The three men escaped from the State Prison by fleeing through tunnels under the 149-year-old structure in Michigan City. Three guards who allowed them unsupervised access to the tunnels have been suspended. Smith, 48, New Castle, was caught the next day a few miles away from the State Prison in Grand Beach, Mich. Battreal somehow got to his parents' home in Rockport, a small town in far-southern Indiana along the Ohio River. He was found sleeping around 1 a.m. Tuesday, when he was arrested by U.S. marshals, State Police and local police. U.S. marshals, who had joined the search shortly after the escape was reported, had been checking the homes of Battreal's family members as places where they thought he might flee. There have been no charges filed yet against Battreal's parents. The case remains under investigation. Smith and Battreal face escape charges from LaPorte County, where the State Prison is located. The charges were filed and arrest warrants issued shortly after they escaped. They also will lose credit for good behavior. The prison system can impose additional sanctions for the escapes, as well, Garrison said. All three inmates were serving sentences that would have ended after 2040.
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Post by DOC on Jul 23, 2009 13:21:00 GMT -5
Last of 3 Ind. prison escapees arrested
By Kevin O’Neal kevin.oneal@indystar.com
After 11 days on the run, the third inmate to escape this month from the Indiana State Prison has been recaptured in Indianapolis.
Mark Booher, 46, New Castle, was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service about noon, according to Doug Garrison, spokesman for the Indiana Department of Correction.
The arrest happened at the Intown Suites, 3650 W. 86th St. on the Northwestside.
About 20 members of a U.S. Marshals fugitive task force apprehended Booher without incident, Supervisory Inspector Shannon Robinson said.
“He didn’t present any kind of struggle,” Robinson said.
Booher had been serving a long sentence after being convicted of a murder in Indianapolis from ten years ago.
Booher and two other inmates escaped July 12 through the underground tunnel system of the maximum-security prison in Michigan City.
Convicted murderer Charles Smith was captured the following day about eight miles from the prison in Grand Beach, Mich. Authorities arrested convicted rapist Lance Battreal on Tuesday at his parents’ home in the southern Indiana town of Rockport.
Booher was taken to the Indiana Department of Correction intake center in Plainfield, Robinson said.
“Everyone is tremendously elated to have this over,” he said.
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Post by City Boy on Aug 10, 2009 19:02:29 GMT -5
Official: Age of prison key to escape Updated: Monday, 10 Aug 2009, 2:45 PM EDT Published : Monday, 10 Aug 2009, 2:41 PM EDT
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - An Indiana Department of Correction spokesman said the investigation into the escape of three state prison inmates is expected to be wrapped up by the end of the month.
Doug Garrison said the age of the prison played a key role in the escape as the inmates made their way through old utility tunnels that led outside the structure.
He said officials are investigating whether the inmates may have manipulated guards into allowing them into the tunnels unsupervised. Three guards have been suspended since the escape.
Garrison declined comment on whether the inmates might have had outside help. However, he said officials are investigating a possible connection between the inmates and a parolee who visited the Michigan City area about the same time as the escape.
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Post by City Boy on Aug 15, 2009 22:22:36 GMT -5
Convicted Killer's Parole Revoked Paul Komyatti admits visiting Michigan City day before inmates escaped Updated 2:45 PM CDT, Thu, Aug 13, 2009
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Officials revoked the parole of a convicted killer who admitted visiting Michigan City the day before three inmates he knew escaped from the Indiana State Prison.
The Indiana Parole Board voted 4-1 Thursday to send 44-year-old Paul Komyatti Jr. back to prison after finding that he violated his learner's permit by driving alone to northern Indiana from Indianapolis. His scheduled release date is now December 2023, though the board will review his case again in a year.
Most board members didn't believe Komyatti when he said he caught a ride with another ex-con to Michigan City,
where he said he went to a park and a casino
Inmates Escape from Indiana State Prison LOOK Inmates Escape from Indiana State Prison . He was arrested for parole violation after investigators questioned him about the escape.
The Hammond native left the Indiana State Prison three months ago after spending 26 years behind bars for his role in the 1983 decapitation of his father.
Parole Board members tried to avoid linking Komyatti's parole revocation hearing with the ongoing investigation into the July 12 escape of convicted rapist Lance Battreal and convicted murderers Mark Booher and Charles Smith. The three were later recaptured.
"We've handled this as if it (the escape) didn't even happen," board Chairman Gregory Server said.
But officials at the hearing said both Komyatti and the ex-con he claimed to ride with, Steve Ellis of Indianapolis, were questioned by escape investigators. Indiana Department of Correction spokesman Doug Garrison wouldn't say whether the men still were under investigation.
Komyatti, who has a learner's permit but not a driver's license, initially told a U.S. marshal that he drove to northern Indiana alone in a borrowed car, but later changed his story, saying he went with Ellis, who had driven his own car.
"I didn't drive at all that night," he said Thursday.
Komyatti, who appeared by video and frequently consulted an attorney sitting beside him, said he initially lied because he was afraid he would get in trouble for accompanying a convicted felon. Ellis, who backed up Komyatti's account, was released in May after serving more than 20 years for burglary, theft and drug charges.
Server said board members had to choose which story was true, and most chose Komyatti's first story.
Ellis said he had known Komyatti in prison. It wasn't clear whether Ellis also knew the escapees. Authorities have said Komyatti admitted knowing the escapees but denied any contact with them.
Correction officials say Battreal, Booher and Smith made their way through utility tunnels beneath the Civil War-era prison before emerging through a manhole cover onto a nearby street. Three prison guards have been suspended for failing to properly supervise the inmates, and a report on the escape is expected to be issued by the end of August.
Komyatti was 17 when he was sentenced in 1983 to prison for murder and conspiracy in the slaying of his father, a Hammond construction worker. The victim's wife, daughter and son-in-law also were convicted in the crime.
On March 19, 1983, Komyatti held his father down in bed while brother-in-law William Vandiver, who was later executed, stabbed the man more than 30 times with a fish filet knife and severed his head with a hacksaw, records said. The dismembered body turned up in garbage bags along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Parole board members acknowledged that Komyatti had an exemplary record in prison, where he earned three bachelor's degrees from Ball State University. But Komyatti admitted he had had trouble adapting to the outside world since his parole in May.
"I don't know 2009. I know 1983," he said.
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Post by City Boy on Aug 19, 2009 19:16:51 GMT -5
Prison chief takes blame for escape Updated: Wednesday, 19 Aug 2009, 1:14 PM EDT Published : Wednesday, 19 Aug 2009, 1:14 PM EDT
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. (AP) - The superintendent of the Indiana State Prison said he takes responsibility for staff shortcomings that contributed to three inmates' escape last month.
Superintendent Mark Levenhagen told lawmakers from LaPorte and Michigan City Tuesday that the inmates escaped because a handful of staff failed to follow proper procedure. He said that's his responsibility.
Three prison guards have been suspended for failing to properly supervise inmates Lance Battreal, Mark Booher and Charles Smith.
The men escaped through underground utility tunnels July 12, but were later recaptured.
Levenhagen and Department of Correction Commissioner Edwin Buss said the prison will invest in technology to help secure the tunnels.
A report on the escape is expected by the end of the month.
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Post by ISP on Aug 22, 2009 14:39:19 GMT -5
Prison official: Inmates raised cash selling drugs, cell phones inside jail * Three escapees aren't believed to have used money to bribe prison guards. Comments
August 21, 2009
By Teresa Auch Schultz, Post-Tribune staff writer MICHIGAN CITY -- Three inmates who escaped from the Indiana State Prison here a month ago had money with them for their trip.
Pam James, spokeswoman for the Michigan City prison, said Mark Booher, 46; Lance Battreal, 45, and Charles Smith, 48, took money with them when they escaped July 12 through underground tunnels. James did not say how much money they had.
The three collected it from illegally selling tobacco, drugs and cell phones in the prisons, James said. Officials do not believe that the inmates used the money to bribe anyone in the prison to help them make their escape, she said.
Officials have said they believe the three were able to escape by being allowed unsupervised time in the underground tunnels. Three prison guards have since been put on supervision pending the results of an internal investigation.
The Civil War-era prison is unlike most other, more modern state prisons in that the newer ones do not have tunnels connecting to outside of the prison. The tunnels in the Michigan City building, however, connected to sewer city lines, which the prisoners used to escape.
Mark Lavenhagen, superintendent of the prison, recently took responsibility for the escape, telling state lawmakers the escape happened because members of the staff didn't fulfill their duties.
He said new technologies were being installed to help prevent any other escapes happening.
The three have all been captured and are serving the rest of their sentences at other state prisons.
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Post by Davichion on Aug 25, 2009 14:22:08 GMT -5
Contraband sales funded prison escapees - surprised? I'm not The recent news that the three inmates who escaped from the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City last month funded their getaway with cash from selling tobacco, drugs, and cell phones didn't come as a surprise to me. How about you?
Every time I conduct a jailhouse interview with an inmate - at any correctional facility - I'm told matter-of-factly how easy it is to obtain contraband from other inmates or prison guards.
"Anything you want you can pretty much get," one inmate told me last week who's serving a 60-year sentence for manslaughter.
And he wasn't even bragging. Obtaining illegal contraband seems as simple as visiting a convenience store, although the cost is much, much higher, I'm told.
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Post by City Boy on Sept 16, 2009 18:17:59 GMT -5
Prison sacks three workers over escape Associated Press The Indiana Department of Correction has fired three employees and suspended a fourth in connection with the escape of three inmates from a maximum-security prison in July. Agency spokesman Doug Garrison did not provide details of the allegations against the four men, but said they were accused of either failing to properly supervise the inmates or providing them articles that were connected with the escape.
Those fired were two guards and a maintenance foreman. A prison counselor also was suspended pending termination. All four have the right to appeal the discipline. Inmates Lance Battreal, Mark Booher and Charles Smith escaped July 12 through underground utility tunnels at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City but were later recaptured.
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Post by City Boy on Sept 16, 2009 18:19:41 GMT -5
WSBT-TV Report
MICHIGAN CITY — The Indiana Department of Corrections fired three employees in connection with this summer's prison escape in Michigan City.
Department officials say they fired correctional officer Jonathan Waldo for trafficking and neglect of duty and correctional officer Kelley Westrich for dereliction of duty.
Prison officials say there was a lack of supervision while inmates Lance Battreal, Mark Booher and Charles Smith were working in tunnels underneath the prison. That's how they escaped. It took police more than a week to catch all three inmates. Prison officials say the men worked in the tunnels for some time.
The state also fired maintenance foreman David Westlund and suspended correctional counselor Donald Bates for trafficking, which means they either gave something to the inmates or took something to them, both of which are prohibited.
Waldo filed an appeal; the other three still have time to do so
Since Superintendent Levenhagen took some blame, this is the end result. Trumph some on some patsies and try to come out smelling like a rose!. Unfortunately, I wont let you do that!
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Post by City Boy on Sept 16, 2009 18:21:58 GMT -5
4th prison worker to be fired in escape Officials say escape investigation continues Updated: Wednesday, 16 Sep 2009, 3:12 PM EDT Published : Wednesday, 16 Sep 2009, 12:24 PM EDT
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. (WISH) - A fourth prison employee has now been suspended and is expected to be fired as part of the investigation into how three inmates escaped in July from the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City.
24-Hour News 8 has also learned the names of the four employees.
Donald Bates, a correctional counselor with 12 years experience, is currently on suspension and faces termination. He was suspended effective August 26, 2009. He's accused of trafficking with inmates. Prison officials said they suspended Bates as part of their ongoing investigation into how Mark Booher, Lance Battreal and Charles Smith escaped July 12 through a tunnel system below the prison.
Jonathan Waldo, a correctional officer hired in November 2006, was terminated effective September 11. He was suspended in the days following the July 12 escape. He is appealing his termination. The reason for his termination is listed as trafficking and neglect of duty.
Kelley Westrich, hired in February 2004, was also a correctional officer. Her termination also went into effect September 11. She was fired after being accused of dereliction of duty.
David Westlund, a maintenance foreman with 7 years on the job, was also fired. He was accused of trafficking, use of tobacco and violating the prison's drug-free workplace policy.
Prison officials would not elaborate on what the prison employees were trafficking, but have previously reported that the inmates raised money by selling drugs, cigarettes and cell phones in prison. The Indiana Department of Correction considers trafficking as the trading any items with prison inmates.
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Post by City Boy on Sept 16, 2009 18:27:14 GMT -5
2 Workers Fired, Another Resigns In Escape Fallout State Says Workers Not Paying Attention
INDIANAPOLIS -- Two employees were fired and one resigned as a result of an investigation into how three inmates escaped from the Indiana State Prison in July.
Guards had been suspended for failing to properly supervise Lance Battreal, Mark Booher and Charles Smith, who crawled out of the Michigan City facility through tunnels.
The Department of Correction said the guards were disciplined for a lack of attention to their responsibilities.
The employees, whose names were not released, will not be criminally charged.
The inmates were all captured within a couple of weeks of their escape.
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