IA - Two Convicted Murderers Escape Iowa Prison

[PrayersForMaura]

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Two convicted murderers escaped from Iowa's only maximum-security prison Monday night, officials said.

The men were last seen around 7 p.m. at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison. Officials were investigating how the men escaped and where they may have fled, said Ron Welder, the prison's executive officer. Martin S. Moon, 34, had been serving a life sentence since 1995 for a murder in Clark County. Robert J. Legendre, 27, was convicted of kidnapping and murder in Nevada and was transferred to Iowa last year.

http://www.heraldsun.com/nationworld/national/30-668161.html

 

[dancingdaisy]

Whats up with all these people breaking out of prison lately?

 

[grapevine]

well girls andboys, i live 17 miles north of ft. madison pen.The gover of Iowa Sucks, all he says is cut backs, more cut back. i can't understand why no guard in that tower. Ft Madison is on the mississippi riverhalf hour walk over to Il. Less than an hour drive to Mo. :truce:

 

[PrayersForMaura]

well girls andboys, i live 17 miles north of ft. madison pen.The gover of Iowa Sucks, all he says is cut backs, more cut back. i can't understand why no guard in that tower. Ft Madison is on the mississippi riverhalf hour walk over to Il. Less than an hour drive to Mo. :truce:

Greeeeat ... They could be headed our way

I will make sure I lock my windows and doors and set my alarms at all times, even when i am home during the day!!! That is scary!!!

 

[scandi]

Moon was just captured in Illinois. The other escapee is still on the loose!

Scandi

 

[PrayersForMaura]

Legislators: Why didn't prison alarm work?

Senators want details on what would have prevented the escape.

November 17, 2005

Some Iowa legislators Wednesday asked why an expensive high-tech alarm system didn't prevent the escape of two dangerous inmates Monday night from the Iowa State Penitentiary at Fort Madison.

The men remained at large Wednesday. Authorities said they had received tips from the public about the fugitives possibly being seen in Kansas City, Chicago, St. Louis and New York City. But no sightings were confirmed.

The missing inmates are Martin Shane Moon, 34, serving a life sentence for a murder in Clarke County; and Robert Joseph Legendre, 27, who was serving a life sentence for attempted murder and kidnapping in the state of Nevada. They escaped about 6 p.m. Monday from the Iowa State Penitentiary at Fort Madison by using a hand-fashioned rope with a metal hook to climb over a limestone prison wall where a guard tower had been left unstaffed as a cost-cutting move.

Fred Scaletta, a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Corrections, declined Wednesday to say whether an electronic wire barrier was operational at Fort Madison at the time of the escapes. The "taut wire" system is installed on the inside of the wall surrounding the institution. He said an investigation continued into the escapes.

The two convicts disappeared after working with a crew in a prison industries building. At some point, they climbed atop the roof of a building near the wall, and then succeeded in scaling the wall without being noticed by correctional officers.

State Sen. Jeff Angelo, a Creston Republican who served on a prison budget subcommittee when plans were approved for the reduction in tower officers three years ago, said Wednesday he isn't ready to restore around-the-clock staffing for all of Fort Madison's nine guard towers.


Story: http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051117/NEWS01/511170368/1001/ENT02


PICS:

http://cmsimg.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=D2&Date=20051117&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=511170368&Ref=V1&Profile=1001&maxw=250


Legendre


http://cmsimg.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=D2&Date=20051117&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=511170368&Ref=V2&Profile=1001&maxw=250

Moon

 

[PrayersForMaura]

Moon was just captured in Illinois. The other escapee is still on the loose!

Scandi

thanks for the news! This is great!

I just found this story about 2 minutes ago!

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051117/NEWS01/51117003/1001


One Iowa prison escapee is captured in southern Illinois
By KEVIN DOBBS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER


November 17, 2005




Police in southern Illinois this morning captured convicted murderer Martin Shane Moon, 34, who escaped along with another inmate from the Iowa State Penitentiary at Fort Madison on Monday.

A Chester, Ill., city police officer found Moon alone sleeping in a car in rural Randolph County. Moon fled and ran into a wooded area. The officer called for back-up, and about 25 minutes later, a police dog found Moon hiding in a tree.

Moon was unarmed and "easily apprehended," Chester Police Chief Don McKinney said. Moon is being held in the Randolph County jail until Iowa authorities pick him up later today.

Randolph County is about 90 minutes south of St. Louis, along the Mississippi River. It was not clear early today why Moon was in Illinois, but he was found parked near a maximum security prison.

"I don't think he knew where he was. It was probably a coincidence – probably," said Detective Shannon Wolff of the county's sheriff's office. "We don't know for sure how he got that far."

Moon, who was serving a life sentence, escaped the prison with 27-year-old Robert Joseph Legendre, serving life for attempted murder and kidnapping in the state of Nevada. Wolff said he had no new information on Legendre, and the search for him continues.

Moon was found in an "older blue Ford," McKinney said. Officials are still searching for a 1995 gold Pontiac Bonneville with Iowa plates 776 NOW. Shortly after the escape Monday night, that car was stolen in Fort Madison, and authorities believed that one or both fugitives might have stolen the vehicle.

Iowa authorities said the two men used an improvised rope and a grappling hook to scale a limestone prison wall. They fled the prison near a guard tower was vacant due state budget cuts. They escaped over the west wall of the prison, which is about one block from U.S. Highway 61 and about two blocks from a bridge over the Mississippi River crossing into Illinois.

Law enforcement officials in Iowa, Missouri and Illinois have all joined the manhunt.

More....

 

[NewMom2003]

So many prison escapes lately. What is going on? Saying a prayer for everyone in that area that they stay safe.

 

[PrayersForMaura]

So many prison escapes lately. What is going on? Saying a prayer for everyone in that area that they stay safe.

That's exactly what I was saying to my boyfriend the other night.
I'm suddenly feeling very unsafe, and I don't really feel that safe to begin with!

 

[Beyond Belief]

Fox is announcing MOON HAS BEEN CAPTURED!!!!

 

[Beyond Belief]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,175885,00.html
FORT MADISON, Iowa — A convicted murderer who escaped from an Iowa prison this week by using a homemade grappling hook to scale a 30-foot limestone wall was captured Thursday in Illinois. A second inmate remained at large.
Martin Moon, 34, was caught after he was found sleeping in a stolen car in the town of Chester, near an Illinois prison. He told investigators he was on his way to Tennessee but gave no reason, authorities said.

 

[PrayersForMaura]

Prison break distresses victim's mother
SHEFFIELD --- The escape of two convicts from the Iowa State Penitentiary on Monday distresses a woman whose son was killed. by one of the men.

"I was very surprised to hear the news. It's hard. It brings back old sores," said Alfreda Dickson, 82, of Sheffield.

Her son, Kevin Dickson, was shot by his roommate near Winterset in Clarke County in 1990. Martin Moon, 34, was convicted of first-degree murder in 2000.

According to court records, Moon, Dickson and others traveled to an abandoned farmhouse to allegedly meet with a drug dealer. Dickson was shot at the residence.

Moon and Robert Legendre, 27, this week scaled a 30-foot wall and escaped the prison in Fort Madison. As of Wednesday, they were still missing.

Alfreda Dickson was reluctant to talk about the situation and said she is afraid. She has never met Moon, but has contacted law enforcement officials about her concerns.

"I loved my son very much," she said. "He was missing for nine years before they found his body. I think about him every day."

More ... http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2005/11/17/news/top_story/doc437cc2e75ee0b867923742.txt

 

[concernedperson]

I believe I heard tha Legendre was captured today. No details as it was the end of the broadcast.

 

[scandi]

Yes, Legendre was captured in southern Misourri. He had hijacked a vehicle close to the airport in St Louis, injuring 2 occupants inside which left tell tale blood inside.

I don't know any more right now, but he was taken at 8am their time. Locals had seen him around buying food and such at Subway.


Scandi

 

[PrayersForMaura]

Yes, Legendre was captured in southern Misourri. He had hijacked a vehicle close to the airport in St Louis, injuring 2 occupants inside which left tell tale blood inside.

I don't know any more right now, but he was taken at 8am their time. Locals had seen him around buying food and such at Subway.


Scandi

oh my, I don't live too far from there

 

[PrayersForMaura]

http://www.kmov.com/topstories/stories/kmov_localnews_051117_iowamurdersuspect.6c5162dd.html


Another link:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/LegalCenter/wireStory?id=1325861&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312


I'm sure they will update these links as more info becomes available.
All it's listing is he's been caught ... so not really much info yet.

 

[Beyond Belief]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,176020,00.html
FORT MADISON, Iowa — The second inmate who escaped from an Iowa prison was captured Friday in southern Missouri, Iowa officials said.
Robert Joseph Legendre, 27, was captured in Caruthersville, Mo., said Fred Scaletta, an Iowa prisons spokesman.