Manhunt Underway After Convicted Murderer Escapes in North Carolina
Manhunt Underway After Convicted Murderer Escapes in North Carolina
Hundreds of law enforcement officers are actively searching for Ramone Alston, a 30-year-old convicted murderer, who escaped from custody after being transported to a hospital in North Carolina, according to the state’s Department of Adult Correction.
Alston, who was serving a life sentence, managed to break free from a prison transport vehicle on Tuesday morning. The incident occurred at around 7 a.m. at the U.N.C. Hospitals Hillsborough Campus, where Alston was brought for a medical appointment. According to authorities, Alston freed himself from his leg restraints while still handcuffed and made a dash into nearby woods as soon as the vehicle door was opened.
By midday Wednesday, the search had expanded to cover 1,335 acres, involving 335 law enforcement officers from 19 different agencies, as reported by Keith Acree, the department’s communications director.
Though officers were armed when Alston escaped, they did not fire, as the escape happened too quickly, Acree explained.
Kirby Saunders, the emergency services director for Orange County, assured the public that Alston is no longer believed to be in the immediate area, reducing the imminent threat to the community. However, authorities suspect that Alston may have received assistance in his escape, though they have not provided specific details. A $35,000 reward for information has generated numerous tips, with two considered particularly promising, according to Orange County Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood.
Despite no direct evidence suggesting Alston is armed, officials warn that he should be considered dangerous and believe he has likely removed his handcuffs by now.
Alston was convicted in 2018 for his role in a 2015 shooting that tragically killed a 1-year-old girl on Christmas Day. Although his lawyers argued that Alston did not fire the fatal shot, he was sentenced to life in prison and was being held at Bertie Correctional Institution, over 100 miles from the Hillsborough medical campus.
James D. Williams Jr., a Durham-based lawyer who represented Alston during the 2015 investigation, stated that he had not been in contact with Alston and learned about the escape from news reports.
Questions have been raised about why Alston was taken to a medical facility so far from his prison. Acree explained that the Hillsborough campus was chosen because the appointment was a follow-up with a specific provider at that location, and the transfer was necessary due to medical requirements.
Details about the ongoing search remain limited, as law enforcement is cautious about revealing too much information publicly. Officials acknowledge that Alston may have already left the state.
“The ground search phase is winding down,” Acree stated during a Wednesday press conference, indicating that the focus will now shift to investigating leads and tips. When captured, Alston is expected to be placed in a maximum-security facility, likely Central Prison in Raleigh.
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