Fugitive's half-brother fears for his life
'Prison Break: Manhunt for Murderers' - Wayne Schimpf, half-brother of escaped murderer Richard Matt, is convinced he's coming for him and will try to kill him
New York State Police are looking into a possible sighting of two convicted murderers who escaped from an upstate New York maximum-security prison two weeks ago.
The two men fitting the description of inmates David Sweat and Richard Matt were seen about a week ago in Steuben County, New York, over 300 miles southwest of Dannemora, according to a news release posted late Friday. Two men were seen walking near a rail yard in Erwin on June 13, and then seen the next day in Lindley, New York, heading toward the Pennsylvania border.
Investigators conducted interviews in both communities and have surveillance video that was initially deemed inconclusive and is being sent to Albany for analysis.
It wasn’t clear why authorities waited a week before divulging the information.
State police spokesman Beau Duffy told FoxNews.com Saturday investigators did not wait that long. He said troopers learned about the possible weekend sightings on Tuesday.
He said troopers then sought to verify the sightings over the next two days. Late Friday afternoon, troopers got their hands on the surveillance video.
Duffy said at that point commanders decided to release information on the possible sightings to alert the public and to hopefully generate more leads.
Sweat and Matt used power tools to cut their way out of Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora on June 6. Hundreds of law enforcement officers have been looking for them.
State police say they’re prepared to keep searching for the “long haul.”
Friday, police asked hunters for help in the search for the escaped convicts.
“We’re asking them to review video from wildlife or trail cameras to see if they see anything suspicious,” State Police Maj. Charles Guess said at a press conference at the prison.
Hunters say they are ready to help even if it isn’t hunting season and they still haven't turned their trail cams on to track deer.
State police said Friday they have searched 600 miles of trails leading out of Dannemora, but local outdoorsman Jason Langdon said the wooded area is so vast, searchers still have a lot of work to do.
A correction officer from the prison was also suspended, officials announced Friday. However, officials didn’t have any other information involving the case.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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