A 51-year-old convicted murderer who escaped from prison in Mississippi was captured days later after a vehicle he allegedly carjacked ran out of gas, authorities said.
In a statement shared Tuesday, the Mississippi Department of Corrections confirmed the manhunt for Michael Floyd Wilson had come “to an end” after his apprehension in Harrison County. Per a report from the Associated Press, Wilson has now escaped from custody on three separate occasions, starting in 2001 with a county jail breakout that was followed in 2018 by an escape from a Leakesville-located facility.
Of note here is that Harrison County, as noted in multiple reports, is at least 130 miles from the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility in Rankin County. During the escape, which saw Wilson climbing a razor wire fence, the 51-year-old sustained injuries that ultimately resulted in two separate hospital visits (by way of fake names) while on the lam.
At a news conference announcing Wilson’s capture, Corrections Commissioner Burl Cain noted that he wanted to “assure the public” that mistakes made surrounding this incident wouldn’t be repeated. “We’re shocked, upset, and appalled that he got away,” Cain said.
Confirmed amid reports of Wilson’s escape and subsequent apprehension were the suspensions of several prison workers in connection with the delay in reporting the inmate as missing. At one point during his two-day status as a fugitive, Wilson is claimed to have successfully convinced someone that he was an FBI agent and that his injuries stemmed from a motorcycle-related incident.
Per prison records, Wilson is currently serving life on three of eight total convictions, including two murders. As for the carjacking, Cain explained Tuesday that the vehicle in question (which had been reported as stolen) ran out of fuel while Wilson was attempting an increase in speed to evade officers who were in pursuit.
