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Three inmates on the run after cutting out a hole in cell ceiling

Jail
Posted at 2:24 PM, Jun 08, 2022
and last updated 2022-06-08 14:24:38-04

Three inmates are on the run after breaking out of a jail in Missouri.

The Barry County Sheriff’s Office says the inmates cut and climbed out of holes in the ceiling.

They entered a water heater storage area and were able to escape through a maintenance door.

Detective Doug Henry told CNN the ceilings are made of plaster and could have made the escape easier.

There were also only two staff members working in the jail at the time of the escape, Sheriff Danny Boyd said.

The inmates, identified as Lance Stephens, Matthew Crawford and Christopher Blevins, have been missing for four days now.

U.S. Marshals are now in charge of the search.

Investigators with the Marshals Service say the three are no longer in Missouri and they are likely not together anymore.

One reportedly was seen in Arkansas and another in Springfield.