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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
(about 1 hour later)
Related: New York prison break - how two murderers escapedRelated: 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 DNA from both of the inmates who escaped from a maximum security prison two weeks ago, after testing items they discovered in a cabin that included socks with blood on them, it emerged on Monday, as their manhunt descended on a 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. “They found some bloody socks,” as well as prison-issue men’s underwear and food scraps, sources with knowledge of the investigation told the Guardian.
Although New York state police have only publicly revealed a “conclusive” DNA sample of at least one of the two murderers still on the run, and they would not specify which one, a law enforcement source acknowledged that DNA evidence found in the remote cabin is understood to have matched both Richard Matt and David Sweat.
Matt, 48, and Sweat, 35 escaped from the prison in Dannemora, in the remote northern section of New York State close to the Canadian border more than two weeks ago.
Forensic science investigators at the New York state police crime lab in Albany matched the DNA evidence to the escaped convicts on Monday.
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.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,” Major Charles Guess of the New York state police said on Monday afternoon, 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 Owls 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.
The police, however, want people who own the thousands of seasonal cabins in the region who have not yet opened them up for the summer to do so. It was the owners of a cabin at Owls Head who discovered on Sunday that their cabin had been broken into, and called the authorities.
“They went to their cabin in the early morning and that’s when they found it broken into and the state police went up there,” a source told the Guardian.
The authorities have set up a perimeter of personnel around the area. But it is not yet known how long ago Matt and Sweat were there or how long they may have stayed.
“It’s a very hot spot. They were there for some time,” said the source.
The police found the remains of food, as well as the socks, underwear and other unspecified items.
Despite the new lead, however, there have still not been any confirmed sightings of the two men. And the region is “very tough” to search, a law enforcement source acknowledged, scattered with lakes, streams, “huge mountains”, thick forest and steep drop-off among cliffs and remote trails in the wilderness.
The police now hope that whatever is tough for their officers, vehicles and dogs to navigate is tougher for the desperate inmates and that leaving items in their wake is a sign that they are capable of making mistakes as they try to complete their getaway.
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.