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| DNA trace from New York prison escapees found in rural cabin | DNA trace from New York prison escapees found in rural cabin |
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| Related: New York prison break - how two murderers escaped | Related: New York prison break - how two murderers escaped |
| Police have found a “conclusive” DNA trace of at least one of the two murderers who escaped from a maximum security prison two weeks ago, state police announced on Monday, as their manhunt descended on a cabin and hunting ground in rural New York. | Police have found a “conclusive” DNA trace of at least one of the two murderers who escaped from a maximum security prison two weeks ago, state police announced on Monday, as their manhunt descended on a cabin and hunting ground in rural New York. |
| Forensic science investigators matched DNA evidence at a cabin to either Richard Matt, 48, or David Sweat, 35, police major Charles Guess said at a press conference, though he declined to say to which convict the DNA belonged. | |
| The cabin, apparently burglarized, stands in a isolated resort in the forest about 30 miles from Clinton correctional facility, from which Matt and Sweat broke out in an elaborate escape on 6 June. | |
| “It is a confirmed lead for us,” Guess said, adding that it appeared the killers “may have spent time” at the cabin. | “It is a confirmed lead for us,” Guess said, adding that it appeared the killers “may have spent time” at the cabin. |
| “We’re going to run this to ground,” he said. | “We’re going to run this to ground,” he said. |
| Police spokesman Beau Duffy confirmed that the search effort has primarily descended on Franklin County “near an area of Owl’s Head”, a mountainous region of northern New York along the Adirondacks. | Police spokesman Beau Duffy confirmed that the search effort has primarily descended on Franklin County “near an area of Owl’s Head”, a mountainous region of northern New York along the Adirondacks. |
| Duffy said police were investigating a lead “involving a seasonal hunting camp”. | Duffy said police were investigating a lead “involving a seasonal hunting camp”. |
| Guess also said police had received security camera footage from the area that showed men resembling Matt and Sweat, but that the sightings remain unconfirmed. | Guess also said police had received security camera footage from the area that showed men resembling Matt and Sweat, but that the sightings remain unconfirmed. |
| “We cannot get into specifics of the evidence that we recovered,” he said, because “we don’t want to put information out into the public that could jeopardize our investigation”. | “We cannot get into specifics of the evidence that we recovered,” he said, because “we don’t want to put information out into the public that could jeopardize our investigation”. |
| Guess warned camp owners and anyone visiting the area to immediately call police should they find anything at their camp amiss, and also asked owners and anyone with trail cameras to help monitor footage. | Guess warned camp owners and anyone visiting the area to immediately call police should they find anything at their camp amiss, and also asked owners and anyone with trail cameras to help monitor footage. |
| Authorities have arrested and charged Joyce Mitchell, a 51-year-old civilian who worked in the prison’s tailor shop, with abetting Matt and Sweat’s escape. Mitchell allegedly befriended the killers and provided tools, and is believed to have panicked on the night of the escape after having planned to act as getaway driver. | Authorities have arrested and charged Joyce Mitchell, a 51-year-old civilian who worked in the prison’s tailor shop, with abetting Matt and Sweat’s escape. Mitchell allegedly befriended the killers and provided tools, and is believed to have panicked on the night of the escape after having planned to act as getaway driver. |
| Guess said there is “no definitive evidence that anyone else is assisting them but we are certainly not ruling that out”. | Guess said there is “no definitive evidence that anyone else is assisting them but we are certainly not ruling that out”. |
| Police have received hundreds of leads since the prisoners’ escape and have appealed for more, vowing to follow up each one. | Police have received hundreds of leads since the prisoners’ escape and have appealed for more, vowing to follow up each one. |
| Most leads, including tips that suggested Matt and Sweat were heading to Vermont across Lake Champlain, or had traveled as far south as the border with Pennsylvania, have so far proven fruitless. | Most leads, including tips that suggested Matt and Sweat were heading to Vermont across Lake Champlain, or had traveled as far south as the border with Pennsylvania, have so far proven fruitless. |
| Most of the hundreds of federal and state investigators continue to search in the densely wooded and swampy terrain of upstate New York. | Most of the hundreds of federal and state investigators continue to search in the densely wooded and swampy terrain of upstate New York. |