Missing Inmates Captured!

New Castle, Indiana – Today about 2:45 p.m. the Pendleton Post got a call from the New Castle Correctional Facility, Minimum Security Unit that an inmate was possibly missing from outdoor recreation. In less than ten minutes Sergeant Rob Cross and Trooper Tyler Painter were on the scene. A headcount found that two inmates were missing from the facility run by the private GEO Group.

Painter went with GEO Group Officer Van Winkle and his K-9 bloodhound and began tracking the inmates north along a railroad bed. Sergeant Cross went north. Two State Police Units from the Muncie area, including a K-9 unit came south to look for the inmates.

At approximately 6 p.m. Sergeant Cross saw the subjects at the Oakville Co-op, which is about ten miles north of the prison in Delaware County. ISP units converged on the Co-op as the subjects tried to flee through a field into a wooded area. When told that ISP K-9 “Murtaugh” was about to be released, both inmates did the right thing; they lay down and surrendered. Complicating the capture was the fact that a strong thunderstorm hit the area as the situation began to unfold.

Captured was Johnny Y. Hines, age 26 of Muncie, and Christopher Hoover, age 33, of Greensburg. The two were returned to the prison without further incident to face future charges for Felony Escape. Hines had been incarcerated for Theft and Fraud, and was due to be released July, 2012. Hoover had been incarcerated for Burglary and Auto Theft, and was due to be released October 2013.

Lieutenant Bob Burke, Commander of the Pendleton Post, participated in the manhunt and said “This was a great example of cooperation between agencies along with good police work in capturing these escapees.”

Any questions should be directed to the  New Castle Correctional Facility.

Source: Indiana State Police

Johnny Y. Hines

Christopher Hoover