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Richard Matt, one of the two convicted murderers who escaped from Clinton Correctional Facility on June 6, has been fatally shot by federal agents in Franklin County, N.Y., according to multiple media reports.
An exchange of gunfire Friday in Franklin County ended search for Richard Matt. Police killed Matt, a 49-year-old western New York man, after he attempted to carjack a camper in the area. He reportedly had an altercation with the driver, who called 911.
Reports suggest a Border Patrol Tactical Unit arrived first to the scene and fatally shot Matt. Border Patrol officers are among more than 1,100 uniformed officers who were in the county. Police reportedly are now chasing after David Sweat.
New York State Police continue to search for the other fugitive, David Sweat.
The shooting occurred on a day that the New York State Police reported that Matt and Sweat may be headed to Canada.
Investigators were conducting DNA tests on potential new evidence, a source close to the investigation said.
A reported burglary led police to a cabin Thursday in the town of Malone, New York, State Police spokesman Beau Duffy told CNN.
Conclusive evidence was found in the cabin, which is being tested, he added.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo says Matt and Sweat used power tools to saw through a steel cell wall and several steel steam pipes, bashed a hole through a 2-foot-thick brick wall, squirmed through pipes and escaped early on June 6 from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, near the Canadian border.
Sweat was serving a sentence of life without parole in the killing of a sheriff’s deputy in Broome County in 2002. Matt was serving 25 years to life for the killing and dismembering of his former boss.
A civilian worker at the prison has been charged with helping the killers flee by giving them hacksaw blades, chisels and other tools.
Prosecutors said Joyce Mitchell, a prison tailoring shop instructor who got close to the men while working with them, had agreed to be their getaway driver but backed out because she felt guilty for participating. Mitchell pleaded not guilty June 15 to charges including felony promoting prison contraband.
Authorities said the men had filled their beds in their adjacent cells with clothes to make it appear they were sleeping when guards made overnight rounds. On a cut steam pipe, the prisoners left a taunting note containing a crude caricature of an Asian face and the words “Have a nice day.”
Agencies/Canadajournal
