On Monday morning, four inmates escaped a central Georgia jail by reportedly breaking through a window and fence at the Bibb County jail.
Joey Fournier, 52, charged with murdering his ex-girlfriend last year, is among the escapees, according to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office. The other fugitives were identified as Marc Anderson, 24, Johnifer Barnwell, 37, and Chavis Stokes, 29.
Macon.com reports that at around 3 a.m. Monday morning, the four fled in a blue Dodge Challenger waiting in the jail parking lot off Oglethorpe Street. Guards realized they were missing around 6:30 a.m., giving the escapees several hours before police started searching for them.
“Obviously this is an ‘all hands on deck’ situation. Patrol, investigators, our intel unit is in on this, the FBI,” Bibb sheriff David Davis said. “One of these inmates had federal drug charges. Everyone is involved.”
During a Monday afternoon press conference, Davis blamed the incident on inadequate staffing and outdated facilities. He disclosed less than 10 members staff were present between 3 a.m. to 6 a.m., when the men pried open a day room window and cut through the fence.
Davis said the inmates likely coordinated with someone on the outside who tampered with the fence and supplied tools to help them escape. The sheriff cited poor security and the jail’s older sections as helping in the escape.
Although details surrounding the inmates’ relationships with each other are unclear, Davis said they were all housed in the same cell block, in the older section of the jail. Davis added that Fournier tried to escape previously but was captured in Northwest Georgia.
“We remember, I think, his brother had been involved in trying to harbor him, when we were looking for him one time before,” Davis said. “Really nothing is off the table right now. Right now you try to take in information from wherever you get it and follow those leads.”
The story is developing…
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast. Listen to the latest episode:
[Feature Photos: Clockwise L/ Joey Fournier, Johnifer Barnwell, Chavis Stokes and Marc Anderson; Bibb County SO]
