Authorities say the men slipped out through a ceiling area and vanished into the night.
AMERICUS, GA — Two inmates facing murder charges escaped from the Sumter County Jail on Sunday night, prompting a multi-agency search in southwest Georgia as investigators worked to trace their route out of the building and follow leads on where they went next.
The fugitives, identified by authorities as Rickey Martin, 20, and Kentravious Holmes, 21, were being held on multiple charges that include murder, aggravated assault and aggravated battery. Officials said the escape raised immediate public-safety concerns because the men were in custody for violent cases and were believed to have left the area quickly after getting out.
Sheriff Eric Bryant said investigators believe the men escaped through a maintenance door in the ceiling that was not properly secured. He said the opening led into the jail’s HVAC area and provided a path to the outside. The escape was reported at about 9:30 p.m. Sunday, and Bryant said deputies were still working to determine where the men went first after leaving the facility. He said investigators have spoken with relatives of both inmates while tracking possible destinations and contacts.
By Monday morning, authorities were also trying to determine whether the two men had access to transportation and whether they were still in Sumter County. In Albany, about 35 miles southwest of Americus, police said a stolen vehicle believed to be connected to the escape was detected by automated license plate readers. Albany Police Chief Michael Persley said the vehicle was picked up by the city’s FLOCK camera system early Monday, a development that widened the search footprint and pushed alerts to surrounding agencies. Officials said it was unclear how the men obtained the vehicle and whether they remained in the Albany area after the detection.
Local law enforcement released physical descriptions and distinctive markings in an effort to generate tips. Martin is described as a Black man who is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs about 120 pounds, with untwisted dreadlocks. Holmes is described as a Black man who is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs about 155 pounds, also with untwisted dreadlocks. Authorities said Holmes has multiple tattoos on his face and neck, including a dollar sign, a broken heart and the words “Baby Kay” above his right eye. Officials circulated updated photos as the search continued and warned residents not to approach the men if spotted.
The escape also pulled fresh attention to the cases that brought the men to the jail. Martin’s murder case traces to a February 2025 shooting in Americus that left a 5-year-old child dead and two other people wounded, according to state investigators. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said officers responding to a shots-fired call found multiple victims with gunshot wounds in a neighborhood off Eastview Circle. The child, identified by authorities as Peyton Brielle Roberts, died after being taken to the hospital. A 19-year-old man later died of his injuries, and a third victim survived with injuries that were described as not life-threatening. The GBI said Martin was arrested days after the shooting and booked into the Sumter County Jail on felony murder, aggravated assault and aggravated battery charges, with the investigation continuing afterward.
Holmes’ criminal case also drew scrutiny after his escape. Authorities said he was being held on charges that include murder, though officials did not immediately release detailed facts about the underlying homicide case in the first hours after the breakout. A 2025 report from local authorities said Holmes had been arrested in Americus in connection with a separate shooting death, and he was later transported to the Sumter County Jail. Investigators have not publicly said whether either case had a pending trial date in the near term, but officials described both men as violent offenders and said their prior charges shaped the urgency of the manhunt.
As the search expanded, investigators began examining how two inmates were able to navigate an area above the jail and get out without being stopped. Bryant said the evidence pointed to a ceiling maintenance access that was not locked properly, and he said investigators were working to determine whether there were earlier warning signs, equipment problems or procedural lapses. Jail escapes often trigger layered reviews that can include internal interviews, facility checks and outside inspections, especially when an escape route involves doors, hatches or secured mechanical areas. Officials did not immediately say whether anyone had been placed on administrative leave or whether the jail’s security procedures would change before the men are captured.
The escape also comes amid heightened attention on jail security in Georgia and nearby states after a string of high-profile breakouts. In December, three inmates escaped from a jail east of Atlanta and later attacked a Lyft driver, forcing her into the backseat and driving to south Florida before they were captured, according to court records. In 2023, four men escaped from a central Georgia jail. Authorities in October also located the last fugitive from a separate Louisiana jailbreak after a weekslong search that ended in the Atlanta area. Criminal justice experts and law enforcement officials say each incident can spur renewed debate about aging facilities, staffing levels, maintenance practices and how quickly problems are reported and fixed.
In Americus, the escape forced a sudden shift from courtroom timelines to street-level search tactics. Deputies and police agencies pushed out descriptions, issued “be on the lookout” alerts and widened patrols along major routes that connect Sumter County to Albany and other parts of southwest Georgia. Investigators also checked known addresses and questioned possible contacts. Persley said one of the men had family and other potential connections in Albany, an element that can shape where officers focus early in a search. Officials said they were also reviewing surveillance footage, monitoring camera alerts and following up on calls as they came in.
For residents, the escape landed as a jolt in a region where the jail and courthouse sit close to everyday traffic and local business corridors. Americus is a small city where news travels quickly, and the sheriff’s office urged people to stay alert as the search continued. In Albany, police emphasized that residents should not attempt to intervene if they believe they see the fugitives, and they told the public to report sightings through emergency channels. Officers continued canvassing neighborhoods and checking vehicles that matched information obtained during the search.
By Tuesday, officials said the investigation into the escape route remained active as deputies continued searching for Martin and Holmes and tracking the stolen-vehicle lead. Authorities said they expected to keep releasing updated photos and information as the case develops, with the next milestone being the men’s capture and a formal review of how the ceiling access was breached.
Author note: Last updated February 10, 2026.