Crime & Public Safety

Killer recaptured after third escape from Alabama prison

By ArLuther Lee
March 10, 2020

Steve Ray Murphy had escaped from St. Clair County Correctional Facility in Alabama twice before his latest jailbreak Tuesday morning.

Serving a life sentence for a murder in Colbert County in 1984, Murphy escaped in 1986 and 2001, and then managed to circumvent the prison's security again just after midnight, according to news station 6WBRC in Birmingham. 

But this time his freedom was short-lived.

Murphy, 68, was recaptured before 9 a.m., a little more than eight hours after he went on the run from the Alabama lockup, 6WBRC reported, citing the Alabama Department of Corrections.

Prison officials did not immediately provide the details about Murphy’s escape and recapture, reports said.

According to CNN, Murphy’s 2001 escape also ended quickly: He was recaptured in Tennessee after one day on the run.

Regional coverage

At The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, we focus primarily on Georgia news, but we also like to provide readers with regional coverage of the Southeast. We cover stories that impact our region, especially in Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, South Carolina, North Carolina and Mississippi.

— This is a developing story. Please return to AJC.com for updates.

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ArLuther Lee

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