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Manhunt Underway For Convicted Killer Who Used His Cellmate's ID To Escape Oklahoma Prison
Authorities say Patrick Walker, who is serving a life sentence over a murder conviction, threatened his cellmate, Charles Pendarvis, and assumed his identity to break out of jail after Pendarvis' bond was posted.
A phone call, a bond payment and a case of mistaken identity was it all it took for a convicted killer to successfully bust out of prison. Now, the inmate, who police believe to be “armed and extremely dangerous,” is on the run from authorities.
A massive manhunt is currently underway for Patrick M. Walker, 34, who walked out of the Payne County Jail in Oklahoma on Thursday night.
“We’re actively looking for him with our partners in law enforcement,” Matt Elliott, of the Oklahoma Deptartment of Corrections, told local station KOKH. “Just about every member of law enforcement in the state is looking for this individual." The U.S. Marshal's Service is also part of the search efforts.
Walker reportedly used his cellmate Charles Pendarvis’ ID card, assumed his identity and got bonded out of jail after calling a woman from jail to make the payment and set the plan into motion, KOKH reports.
Investigators said they believe Walker may still be using his cellmate's identity.
Walker had been serving a life sentence for first-degree murder since 2003, but was transferred to the Payne County Jail in Stillwater, Oklahoma for a court hearing on charges that he assaulted a guard while serving time at the Cimarron Correctional Facility.
It was there he crossed paths with Pendarvis, who reportedly wasn’t a willing participant in the scheme. The two men bore a striking resemblance to one another and Walker allegedly threatened to harm Pendarvis' family if he didn’t hand over his ID, ABC News reports.
A guard called for Pendarvis after the bondsman arrived; Walker walked out of the cell instead.
Walker allegedly signed his own name on the paper work, but the slipup wasn’t enough to thwart the plan apparently since the bondsman didn’t notice the incorrect signature, according to ABC News.
It’s not clear when prison staff noticed the goof. But by the time the deception was discovered, Walker was long gone.
The Oklahoma Department of Corrections has described Walker as a 5'7" black male with black hair and brown eyes and weighing 174 pounds.
Walker may be traveling in a black Toyota Camry with Alabama tag number 47AF567, Alabama station WPMI reports.
Authorities have said that anyone who sees the convicted killer should not try to approach him and instead call 911.
A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information leading to his capture.
[Photo Credit: Oklahoma Department of Corrections]
