The ongoing hunt for the two convicted killers who escaped from a maximum security prison has escalated yet again, with an intensive search being initiated in a rural "hot spot" in southwestern New York. The convicts, 48-year old Richard Matt and 35-year old David Sweat, have successfully evaded authorities for 16 days since their daring escape.
Aa recent search focused on the town of Friendship, which is located about 280 miles southwest of the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, which lies close to the Canadian border. Both convicts were serving life sentences for murder, according to Reuters.
Maj. Michael Cerretto of the New York State Police describes the ongoing search for the two men, stating that the law will use whatever means it has in order to capture the two escapees one more.
"We will continue to search this area until all leads are exhausted," he said.
"As we have in other areas of this state, we will search under every rock, behind every tree and structure until we are confident that area is secure," he added.
As HNGN previously reported, a witness reported seeing the two men along a railroad line in Saturday in the town, and despite the state police categorizing the report an "unconfirmed sighting, about 300 law enforcement officers have searched the area nonetheless.
A secure perimeter has been established around the area where the two men were spotted, reports Reuters. Roadblocks have also been set up around the area.
If the sighting was indeed genuine, it means that the two daring escapees have been able to travel more than 300 miles southwest of Dannemora, N.Y., completely evading capture by law enforcement.
