PORT GIBSON, MS – Two inmates who escaped from a Mississippi jail while awaiting trial for murder charges have been apprehended following an extensive manhunt, authorities confirmed on Saturday.
Tyrekennel Collins, 24, and Dezarrious Johnson, 18, were discovered hiding in an abandoned house in Claiborne County. The duo had managed to break out of the Claiborne County Detention Center early Friday morning, according to Claiborne County Sheriff Edward Goods.
Surveillance footage captured the inmates making their escape through the ceiling and exiting through an exterior wall around 2:20 a.m. Johnson sustained an injury to his right leg during the escape, resulting in a noticeable limp, as reported by the sheriff’s office.
The public was promptly alerted about the escapees, with authorities warning that both men were considered dangerous. Collins and Johnson were awaiting trial for separate murder charges in different counties, adding urgency to the search.
Collins faces charges for the October 2023 murder of his cousin in Copiah County, while Johnson is charged with murder and aggravated assault related to an October 2022 incident in Jefferson County. Johnson’s trial was scheduled to commence on October 15.
Upon their capture, both inmates were returned to custody and now face additional charges of escape, Sheriff Goods stated.