SHARE

Fugitives Planned To Flee To Mexico, Split Five Days Before Manhunt Ended

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The original plan for convicted killers Richard Matt and David Sweat after escaping from Clinton Correctional Facility was to travel to Mexico with the Joyce Mitchell, the prison seamstress charged with helping the two in their escape, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday.

Escaped killer David Sweat being treated from first responders after being shot Sunday.

Escaped killer David Sweat being treated from first responders after being shot Sunday.

Photo Credit: WWNY
State Police Sgt. Jay Cook, a 21-year police veteran, shot David Sweat less than two miles away from the Canadian border on Sunday.

State Police Sgt. Jay Cook, a 21-year police veteran, shot David Sweat less than two miles away from the Canadian border on Sunday.

Photo Credit: New York State Police
Prison seamstress Joyce Mitchell

Prison seamstress Joyce Mitchell

Photo Credit: New York State Police
Prison worker Gene Palmer

Prison worker Gene Palmer

Photo Credit: New York State Police
Escapees Richard Matt (killed) and David Sweat (captured).

Escapees Richard Matt (killed) and David Sweat (captured).

Photo Credit: New York State Police

Sweat, 35, who was shot and captured by New York State Police on Sunday, has provided that and other information to authorities, Cuomo said in an interview on WCNY Radio's "The Capitol Pressroom" show. Sweat has been upgraded to stable condition at Albany Medical Center.

The plan to escape to Mexico appears to have been scrapped when Mitchell, their alleged getaway driver, instead went to a hospital, complaining of a panic attack, at the time of the escape.

"They would kill Mitchell's husband (Lyle Mitchell), then get in the car and drive to Mexico on the theory that Mitchell was in love with one or both of them," Cuomo said in the interview. "Then they would go live happily ever after, which is a fairy tale that I wasn't read as a child. But we all believe what we want to believe."

Two employees at the Clinton Correctional Facility -- Mitchell and security guard Gene Palmer -- are under arrest and facing charges in assisting in the prisoners' escape. 

“We still have to do investigations on Mitchell and the corrections officer (Palmer),” said Cuomo, who added that both will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Cuomo also revealed that Sweat said that the two fugitives split up on Wednesday, two days before Matt was shot and killed by authorities.

"Which answers why there was no DNA of Sweat in the last cabin that they were in or the previous cabin because Sweat felt that Matt was slowing him down as a matter of fact," Cuomo said.

Sweat was shot Sunday afternoon about two miles south of the Canadian border by State Police Sgt. Jay Cook, a 21-year police veteran. Cook spotted a suspicious man walking in a field near roadway in Constable, N.Y., at about 3:20 p.m. Sunday. Cook pursued, shot and injured 35-year-old David Sweat. Sweat was taken into police custody alive,

Authorities spotted, shot and killed the 49-year-old Matt following Matt's failure to respond to law enforcement commands. Matt had a shotgun in his possession. Autopsy results determined the cause of death to be severe skull fractures and brain injuries due to three gunshot wounds to the head fired from a semi-automatic weapon.

 

to follow Daily Voice Pelham and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE