Accused murderer Ricky Dubose may have been planning another escape Christmas Eve until correctional officers found a key hidden in his hair, Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said in court Friday.

Details of the hidden key, which might have worked on handcuffs, came out when Sills said Dubose should be handcuffed and shackled in leg irons every time he is brought to court for a hearing. He is awaiting a death penalty trial on charges he and another inmate murdered two correctional officers while escaping last June.

Inmates Ricky Dubose and Donnie Rowe appeared before a judge in Putnam County Wednesday morning.

Dubose and three other inmates started fires in their respective cells on Christmas eve at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison.

Following the incidents, officers shaved the inmates’ beards and heads because their hair was too long and found the keys.

Dubose was in court for motions hearings today, and entered a not-guilty plea to murder charges he faces.

.

About the Author

Featured

People join a rally in support for U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees on Tuesday afternoon, April 1, 2025, at the Atlanta headquarters after federal cuts triggered significant layoffs. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Jenni Girtman