Early this morning, escaped murderer Ramone Alston was captured at a hotel on Cloverleaf Parkway in Kannapolis after the reward on his capture was increased from $35k to $50k yesterday. The arrest, occurring shortly before 2 a.m., involved FBI Charlotte SWAT agents, Kannapolis Police, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police. Alston was taken into custody without any injuries.
Following his capture, Jacobia Crisp, a female acquaintance, was arrested in Alamance County. Crisp faces charges of felony aiding and abetting a fugitive, according to the NC Department of Adult Correction.
Alston, who escaped Tuesday morning from correctional officers at a Hillsborough hospital, evaded authorities for two days. Hundreds of law enforcement and public safety officials were involved in the search. He fled into nearby woods after freeing himself from leg restraints while still handcuffed.
Alston, 30, was serving a life sentence for the 2015 murder of a one-year-old child in Chapel Hill. His escape occurred around 7 a.m. when he was being transported to UNC Gastroenterology in Hillsborough. Despite extensive searches around the UNC Hospitals Hillsborough campus, he managed to remain at large until this morning.
Alston will now face charges for felony escape from prison. He is being transferred to a high-security unit in the state prison system, where he will resume serving his life sentence and await court appearances for his recent escape.
The investigation continues to uncover his movements during the escape, any additional accomplices, and any other crimes he may have committed while on the run. Authorities conducted door-to-door searches and examined over 580 acres, including neighborhoods, woods, and creeks, as they worked to recapture Alston.
