NY - Search for escaped convicted killers, David Sweat & Richard Matt, Dannemora #3

[Abigail]

I'd say give Dog a try too, esp. if he has some good tracking experience, but I can just imagine the locals seeing him loping around in the woods and calling in "sightings" to LE

 

[Abigail]

From my link above -

"What they’re doing is traveling at night, I’m positive. They’re not traveling during the day because the cops are using heat-seeking equipment cameras to find them, so they have to be under something like metal where it doesn’t go through — a tractor or something like that. And they have to cover their whole body because they’re using millions of dollars of sophisticated stuff to catch these two guys — so they’ve got to travel at night. I think it’s 12 miles a day or something like that a human being can walk. They’re moving at night and not at all during the day, because they’ll find them. But like I say, who knows? They could be not even there — but that’s a lot of money they’re spending on this, isn’t it?"

He makes some good points.

I agree that they're traveling at night probably following roads or a river, but staying in the woods just to the side. It would take longer at night though, in rough terrain and without a flashlight. I do remember LE saying that all the rain has been interfering with their heat sensors (and also the dogs picking up their trails). Also, with all the deer in the area, they could be picking up a lot of non-human stuff. It might be problematic having to hide inside or under something metal (actually I don't think it has to be metal, just some sort of surface) because if they hid under a tractor, they could be discovered by the farmer. And LE would be more likely to search sheds and such. I wonder...if they could get completely under some dense underbrush and ferns and all, if that would make them undetectable to the thermal sensors?

I know these motion sensors can detect movement through a wall -- that would be handy for checking out all those empty seasonal cabins. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/01/19/police-radar-see-through-walls/22007615/
Here's an article on the thermal sensors: http://www.bullard.com/V3/products/thermal_imaging/law_enforcement/training/articles/0002.php

How far in one night? It gets dark now around 9:30 and starts getting light around 5:30, so 8 hours. If they were on a level surface -- say, a road, they could easily walk 3 miles an hour, so could cover around 20 to 24 miles a night, depending on rest breaks and stopping to find food somewhere, etc. But if they're staying in the woods, it would be slow going -- depending on how bright the moon is (and it's been pretty cloudy). That might account for them possibly not getting out of the area very quickly.

 

[Abigail]

I don't understand. Why does night travel make it more difficult for the heat-seeking equipment to spot them? I'd think the contrast between body and ambient temp would be higher, thus easier to spot, at night. ?

Well, they don't seem to be doing any searching at night, based on what I've been reading.

 

[Abigail]

Getting ready to leave for Boston. If I see the murderous duo, shall I honk and wave; capture them single-handedly; or pull over and seriously inquire why they haven't gone their separate ways? #tillie4ever

All I can say is that they'd better catch them before we head over to the lake house in the wilds of Vermont next month.

Seriously, I think LE might do better bringing in some good native American trackers. These guys are probably leaving quite a trail to the experienced eye, especially if they're crashing through the woods at night.

 

[SBurrus]

Thanks for posting! This is a great article that gives good insight into the mind of this killer and some clues as to what he may be doing now.


6) He was a thinker and planner -- he loved to come up with elaborate plans for his thefts, and he would write them down in detail. He was likely the mastermind behind the escape, although Matt is also highly intelligent.

Interesting take. I always wondered who was leading who -- and I've always suspected it was Matt who was the leader in this enterprise.

That being said...a 48-year old man and a (now) 35-year old man. Seems like an odd pairing. I just wonder what the dynamic was in that relationship and how they got to be "friends". I believe I read somewhere that maybe they were in adjoining cells? My memory is getting hazy now with all the info that has come out in the last couple of weeks.

 

[monkey222]

Are there any recent pics or sketch renditions of what we can expect these two jokers to look like? Where are the artists?

 

[Boodles]

Well, they don't seem to be doing any searching at night, based on what I've been reading.

I wonder why not? They searched for Eric Frein at night using, I believe, the heat seeking equip.

ETA: I just saw the ID show Prison Break about them from last night. It seems they did search at night with helicopters.

 

[Jasper52]

New York prison break: Escapees added to U.S. marshals' most wanted list

(CNN)As the manhunt widened, authorities searching for two murderers who broke out of an upstate New York prison are "geared up for the long haul," New York State Police Maj. Charles Guess said Friday.

The U.S. Marshals Service has added Richard Matt, 48, and David Sweat, 35, to its list of the 15 most wanted fugitives and offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to their capture.

The list "is reserved for the worst of the worst," said U.S. Marshals Service Director Stacia Hylton. "There is no question David Sweat and Richard Matt fall into this category."

 

[cpaul]

Of course they're searching at night.

“There is no law-enforcement tool not being used."

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2015/06/18/prison-break-manhunt-taps-tech-to-track-fugitives/

 

[cpaul]

You have elite units and many agencies searching for these two and you think a reality show buffoon should join the search effort?

 

[TheCrankyChef]

you want a reality show buffoon should join the search effort?

*Snork* I almost lost a good glass of wine thru my nose over this comment.:scared:

 

[Abigail]

I wonder why not? They searched for Eric Frein at night using, I believe, the heat seeking equip.

ETA: I just saw the ID show Prison Break about them from last night. It seems they did search at night with helicopters.

They were using helicopters early on, but it rained on Monday and Tuesday, following their escape discovered on Saturday morning, and on Wednesday, there was rain and a very heavy fog, so that would have made it dangerous for a helicopter, and also interfered with thermal sensors. But those 800 men on the ground that they were using to scour the forests were pretty much out in the daytime -- they left a few men out there to guard the perimeter at night, but everyone else was coming in to rest.

 

[Abigail]

Thanks for posting! This is a great article that gives good insight into the mind of this killer and some clues as to what he may be doing now.


6) He was a thinker and planner -- he loved to come up with elaborate plans for his thefts, and he would write them down in detail. He was likely the mastermind behind the escape, although Matt is also highly intelligent.

Interesting take. I always wondered who was leading who -- and I've always suspected it was Matt who was the leader in this enterprise.

That being said...a 48-year old man and a (now) 35-year old man. Seems like an odd pairing. I just wonder what the dynamic was in that relationship and how they got to be "friends". I believe I read somewhere that maybe they were in adjoining cells? My memory is getting hazy now with all the info that has come out in the last couple of weeks.

Yes, they were in adjoining cells. Not sure what else they'd have had in common, other than probably above-average intelligence. They may have not really been friends. I'm envisioning a scenario where Sweat was planning an escape (remember, he had a relationship with Tillie first -- probably grooming her) and Matt found out (maybe heard him sawing through his wall, next door). And then he inserted himself into the plan, taking over the relationship with Tillie, maybe paying off a couple guards, threatening any other prisoners who were catching on.

Once they got out, they both had varied experience. Matt had successfully made one escape, and made it across the border to Mexico. He knew how to jump trains and travel across the country without being detected. Sweat had some wilderness experience, knew how to steal cars and guns.

 

[Abigail]

Of course they're searching at night.

“There is no law-enforcement tool not being used."

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2015/06/18/prison-break-manhunt-taps-tech-to-track-fugitives/

That's a great article about all the technologies being used. As far as Dog the Bounty hunter, I don't really know anything about him to comment. I don't know if he's a talented tracker or not. But it certainly wouldn't hurt to get someone on the ground who knows how to track, since the rain is washing away a lot of the scent that dogs could follow.

Also...I can think of 3 recent cases where LE and all their technology were scouring areas, and the person being searched for was found by locals -- property owners who notice something amiss.

 

[Abigail]

Sweat's Mom:
1) Wants nothing to do with him now he's on the run
2) Spoke of his negative behaviors as a child (violent tendency -- I guess I was wrong in my earlier comment)
3) Mother and son corresponded regularly, but he stopped writing 2 months ago (why????)
http://www.timesunion.com/news/crim...aped-New-York-prisoner-speaks-out-6318268.php

 

[cpaul]

Correction officer suspended in connection with NY prison break

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/06/1...suspended-in-connection-with-ny-prison-break/

 

[cpaul]

ANOTHER CORRECTION OFFICER PLACED ON LEAVE IN PRISON ESCAPE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK

http://7online.com/news/another-cor...-in-prison-escape-in-upstate-new-york/795701/

 

[cpaul]

Corrections Officer Now On Leave; Search for Escaped Prisoners Shifts to Trails, Seasonal Homes

STATEMENT FROM DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND COMMUNITY SUPERVISION

A correction officer was placed on administrative leave this evening as part of the ongoing investigation into the escape at Clinton Correctional Facility. Due to the ongoing investigation, additional information is not available at this time.

In recent days, the New York State Police Troop B commander says several hundred vacant and abandoned homes, along with several hundred miles of trails, have been cleared as the search heads into its third week.

http://www.twcnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2015/06/19/prison-break-day-14.html

 

[bestill]

Corrections Officer Now On Leave; Search for Escaped Prisoners Shifts to Trails, Seasonal Homes

In recent days, the New York State Police Troop B commander says several hundred vacant and abandoned homes, along with several hundred miles of trails, have been cleared as the search heads into its third week.

http://www.twcnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2015/06/19/prison-break-day-14.html

ANOTHER CORRECTION OFFICER PLACED ON LEAVE IN PRISON ESCAPE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK

http://7online.com/news/another-cor...-in-prison-escape-in-upstate-new-york/795701/

Isn't this old news? Confused here.

 

[MsFacetious]

They said the corrections officer was placed on leave TODAY.
So I don't think it can be old news?
Tillie was NOT a CO so it isn't referring to her. :twocents:

http://www.twcnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2015/06/19/prison-break-day-14.html

A corrections officer was placed on administrative leave, as announced Friday night by the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, as the investigation into the Clinton Correctional Facility escape continues.

DOCCS released a short statement, and did not elaborate on why the move was made.

STATEMENT FROM DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND COMMUNITY SUPERVISION

A correction officer was placed on administrative leave this evening as part of the ongoing investigation into the escape at Clinton Correctional Facility. Due to the ongoing investigation, additional information is not available at this time.