NY offers $100K reward for information leading to capture of 2 convicted murderers

One of prison escapees convicted of murder in Niagara County

DANNEMORA – New York State is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the capture of two convicted murderers, including one from Niagara County.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the reward during a press conference this afternoon for the two men who escaped from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora. That prison is in the north country, just south of the Canadian border.

Richard Matt

One of the escapees, Richard Matt, was convicted of murder in Niagara County. Matt, 48, is described as a white male, 6′ tall, 210 pounds, with black hair and hazel eyes. He has tattoos including “Mexico Forever” on his back, a heart on his chest and left shoulder, and a Marine Corps insignia on his right shoulder.

Matt is serving a sentence of 25 years to life following his conviction in Niagara County for three counts of murder, three counts of kidnapping, and two counts of robbery after he kidnapped a male victim and caused his death by beating him on Dec. 3, 1997. Matt was transferred to Clinton Correctional on July 10, 2008.

David Sweat, 34, is the other convicted murderer on the loose. He is described by state police as a white male, 5’11” tall, 165 pounds, brown hair and green eyes. He has tattoos on his left bicep and his right fingers.

Sweat is serving a sentence of life without parole following his conviction in Broome County for one count of first-degree murder after he caused the death of a Broome County Sheriff’s deputy on July 4, 2002. Sweat was transferred to Clinton Correctional on Oct. 30, 2003.

David Sweat

State Police said they were called on Saturday at 5:45 a.m. by officials at the Clinton Correctional Facility. The prison said two inmates were unaccounted for during a 5:30 a.m. bed check.

Both men are considered to be a danger to the public, State Police said.

“If located DO NOT approach them,” State Police said in a news release. “Contact 911 or the New York State Police immediately at (518) 563-3761.”

The governor said more than 250 law enforcement and corrections officials are actively searching for the inmates.

“Today we are asking for the help of the public as we continue our search to arrest these two individuals,” Cuomo said. “They are convicted murderers and our first order of business is to ensure they don’t inflict any more pain on the community. We are urging anybody who sees them or knows anything that may assist our investigation to contact the State Police as soon as possible. With the public’s help, we will return these men to where they belong – behind bars.”