Escaped Prisoners Captured

PRISONERS ESCAPE-THE LATEST from AP 3-13-16 Police say a convict who escaped a prison transport van surrendered peacefully after being found in an Albuquerque apartment. Albuquerque police spokesman Simon Drobik says Lionel Clah walked out the front door Saturday and “literally just gave up” as officers were waiting for tactical units. The woman who lives in the apartment called police around noon and said she believed Clah was in her home. Drobik says authorities do not know if the two are acquainted. Clah was one of two inmates who slipped away from prison guards while traveling Wednesday night between Roswell and Las Cruces.

 

New Mexico State Police posted on Thursday, March 10, 2016~  

The New Mexico State Police is investigating the escape of two violent prisoners from the area of Artesia, NM. The prisoners escaped sometime last night from a prisoner transport van during a NM Department of Corrections prisoner transport.

 

Anyone residing or traveling in the area of Artesia and Roswell, or along major roadways in the area such as US 285 and US 82, should be warned to lock their doors and not to pick up hitchhikers. These prisoners should be considered dangerous and the public should use caution. Anyone with information or who sees individuals matching the description of the escaped prisoners should contact the New Mexico State Police Roswell office at 575-622-7200.

 

The public should be advised and warned of the escape of LIONEL CLAH and JOSEPH CRUZ, pictured below respectively.

 

Lionel Clah is described as a Native American male, twenty-nine (29) years of age, five feet eleven inches (5′ 11″) tall, weighing one hundred seventy-five (175) pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.

 

Lionel Clah has the following tattoos: left arm; “GRIM TIPPER,” “RIP TALKS SKULL SMOKE 368 RIP JOH” WITH TOMB STONE NATIVE. Right hand: SMILIE FACE. Right arm: “SHANNA NATIVE.” Neck: “SHIPROCK NATIVE.” Chest: “CLAH DEMON” WITH LOCK. Left wrist: “LARISSA.” Right fingers: “LRC.” Right wrist: “MARIA.”

 

Lionel Clah is wanted for crimes of Armed Robbery with a Deadly Weapon and Assault with Intent to Commit a Violent Felony upon a Peace Officer

 

Joseph Cruz is described as a Hispanic male, thirty-two (32) years of age, five feet five inches (5’5″) tall, weighing one hundred sixty-five (165) pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair.

 

Joseph Cruz has the following tattoos: Upper left arm: “LIF” COVERED BY SKULLS. Neck: “ALIAS” BACK OF NECK. Chest: DRAGON. Right wrist: “THREE DOTS.” Right ear: TRIBAL. Right elbow: “13 SMILEY.”

 

Joseph Cruz is wanted for crimes of First Degree Murder, Attempted First Degree Murder, and Child Abuse.

 

Anyone residing or traveling in the area of Artesia and Roswell, or along major roadways in the area such as US 285 and US 82, should be warned to lock their doors and not to pick up hitchhikers. These prisoners should be considered dangerous and the public should use caution. Anyone with information or who sees individuals matching the description of the escaped prisoners should contact the New Mexico State Police Roswell office at 575-622-7200.

 

Lionel Clah and Joseph Cruz were last accounted for around 8:30 p.m. last night in the Artesia area during a prisoner transport. They were wearing white prisoner jumpsuits and were both bound by shackles.

 

The details of the escape are still under investigation and no further information is available regarding the escape at this time.