A Jonesboro man who escaped from a Georgia prison while serving time for a 2004 killing is back in custody.

Richard Joel Jenkins, 26, was captured Monday evening in Washington County about five miles from Hancock State Prison, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections. The career criminal escaped from the prison in Sparta on Sunday.

Jenkins was serving a life sentence for killing Macon convenience store clerk  Gopal Patel, 48, during a robbery at the V and R Food Store.

About the Author

Featured

The Thanksgiving air travel period is on as passengers made their way through the airport Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. Traveling through Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport during the holidays can be an ordeal. Parking shortages could disrupt your plans and security waits can be long during busy periods, causing bottlenecks. Hartsfield-Jackson is advising travelers to get to the airport at least 2½ hours before their domestic flight and at least 3 hours before their international flight. (John Spink/AJC)

Credit: John Spink