The recent daring prison break by two convicted criminals from a maximum security prison in New York marked at least the third time that 48-year-old Richard Matt had attempted to escape from behind bars. Matt, together with 34-year-old David Sweat, has successfully escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility, just 20 miles (30 km.) from the Canadian border.
Beau Duffy, spokesman for New York State Police, describes the manhunt for the two fugitives.
"We are continuing to pursue that lead down in Willsboro but it would be inaccurate to say they are cornered," he said.
Matt's son, 23-year-old Nicholas Harris, states in an interview with Buffalo News that his father has had a history of prison break attempts during the past years. He believes that the fault lies in the prison guards, who failed to take greater precautions in making sure his father remained in prison.
"You know he has escaped before. He has a genius IQ. I can't believe they let this happen," Harris said.
Harris further stated that his father escaped from New York's Erie County Correctional Facility in 1986 after scaling a wall and gate topped with razor wire, which slashed his forearms. He remained on the loose for five days before gettin caught, according to Reuters.
Matt was shot in the shoulder while attempting to escape from a Mexican prison in 1997. He was able to reach the prison's rooftop before being gunned down. Matt was avoiding arrest for the torture, murder, and dismemberment of his boss in Tonawanda, Mexico, Reuters reported.
"He said he made it up to the roof of the prison and got shot in the shoulder. He pulled down his shirt and showed us the bullet wound. This guy has bullet holes on his body," Harris said.
"He's been shot like nine times. It's like they can't kill him. He showed me the scars on his forearms from another time he escaped," he added.
Harris further stated that a huge part of his dad's violent streak was caused by a very unpleasant childhood, Buffalo News reported.
"He was left as an infant in a car. Everybody is born innocent, but he was raised around crime. Then he went into foster care," Harris said.
