Authorities in southeast Missouri hope a reward will lead to the capture of two jail escapees who are considered armed and dangerous.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant Clark Parrott says the Pemiscot County Sheriff’s Department is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of escaped inmates William Carter, 27, and Joseph Latamondeer, 41.
“They (Pemiscot County Sheriff’s deputies) feel that it is important to try that avenue and to try to get some of these leads shook loose,” Parrott says.
The two escaped from the Pemiscot County Justice Center in Caruthersville on Sunday.
Carter was in jail awaiting a May 2018 jury trial in New Madrid on two counts of first degree murder, and Latamondeer was scheduled to be sentenced on Monday for a felony domestic assault conviction. Latamondeer pleaded guilty to domestic assault in August. As part of that guilty plea, prosecutors dropped kidnapping and armed criminal action charges against Latamondeer.
The Pemiscot County Circuit Court has issued warrants for the arrests of both escapees.
Meantime, law enforcement officers from across southeast Missouri are wearing bulletproof vests and full tactical gear on this Thursday morning, as they continue their manhunt for the two escapees.
Sergeant Parrott tells Missourinet Carter and Latamondeer should be considered dangerous.
“We feel like they’re armed with possibly a homemade device, not a firearm or anything like that but maybe like a homemade knife,” says Parrott.
Parrott says the two could also be armed with a broom handle, adding that items are apparently missing from a jail utility closet in Caruthersville.
He says authorities have been searching barges, farm fields and the heavily-wooded Black Island Conservation Area, which has four bayous totaling 43 acres of surface water.
The Black Island Conservation Area also has 230 acres of bottomland forest, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation website.
Conservation agents have been assisting the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Pemiscot County Sheriff’s deputies in the search for Carter and Latamondeer. Caruthersville and Kennett Police are also assisting, along with the Missouri Department of Corrections.
Caruthersville is located on the banks of the Mississippi River.
Parrott says residents should lock their doors and vehicles, and should not try to apprehend the suspects on their own.
“We’re looking at two murder counts (for Carter) and you know, armed criminal action and kidnapping and felonious assault,” Parrott says. “These two don’t have anything to lose.”
Cape Girardeau television station KFVS reports Carter is charged with first degree murder for driving over his estranged wife Heather Carter and Aaron Campbell, who were high school sweethearts.
The June 2016 incident happened in Kennett, which is in nearby Dunklin County.
In addition to searching by land, air and boat, Parrott says Missouri authorities have also alerted Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky and Arkansas officials.
Parrott encourages anyone with information to call the Pemiscot County Sheriff’s Department at (573) 333-4101 or the Missouri State Highway Patrol at (573) 840-9500.
Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant Clark Parrott, which was recorded on October 18, 2017: