Friday, April 16, 1999
Covington prisoner's escape mystifies jailers
Inmate was doing laundry, then vanished
BY KRISTINA GOETZ
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON — Police want to know how a Covington inmate left laundry duty unnoticed Thursday and escaped from the Kenton County Jail.
Officials say they are looking for Matthew Hamilton, 20, who was in jail on a probation violation. The original charge was receiving stolen property over $300.
“I really couldn't give you a good answer on how he got out until we get him back here to talk to him,” said Kenton County Jailer Terry Carl. “We'll be able to get more details then.”
Mr. Hamilton is described as 6 feet tall and white, with brown hair and brown eyes. He has a goatee and a large tattoo on his upper left arm.
If found, he'll face felony escape charges. If convicted, that could add one to five years to his sentence.
Maj. Rodney Ballard, operations officer at the jail, said Mr. Hamilton had a visitor about 6:55 p.m., and when deputies sent for him to come from the laundry room where he was assigned to work, he wasn't there.
Officials searched the detention center, but they didn't find the inmate.
“We know he showed up for work, but we don't know what happened from there,” Mr. Carl said.
Officials said the man visiting Mr. Hamilton was not involved in the escape.
Mr. Hamilton had been in jail since Aug. 31.
“We had him for the next four months,” Mr. Carl said. “Carroll County was going to get him then. They have a hold on him.”
The last time an inmate escaped from the Kenton County Jail was in February. John Lamb, 19, left the jail while he was taking out the garbage. He was captured 12 hours later at his mother's house and was charged with felony escape.
Mr. Carl said escapes are not common, however, and that he's not worried about others leaving.
“Everybody else is locked up,” he said.
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