KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana |Prison Escapee Could Be Hiding Out In Ark-La-Tex

Prison Escapee Could Be Hiding Out In Ark-La-Tex

A convicted murdered who recently escaped from prison just outside of the Ark-La-Tex, could be hiding somewhere in the Ark-La-Tex, according to Sheriff's officials in Central Louisiana.

A 'Be On The Lookout' has been issued in this area for 48 year old Richard Lee McNair.

Police say McNair escaped from a maximum security prison in Pollock, Louisiana, near Alexandria, in Rapides Parish.

Not long after escaping, McNair was spotted by a Ball Louisiana police officer, who questioned McNair and then let him go. The entire event was all captured on police dash board camera and broadcast around the world.

Cop: "Hey this is Carl. Subject wear glasses? What color eyes you got?

McNair: Green, kinda a turquoise blue.

Cop: Turquoise blue?

McNair Yeah.

Cop: Wanna give me some more?"

Ball Louisiana police officer Carl Bordelon didn't realize the man he spotted running alongside a stretch of train tracks in Ball, was the man he was looking for.

COP: "When I saw you on the tracks down there, I saw you loitering and I thought, 'Well, how lucky can I be'

McNair: Nope.. nope..nope.. I'm not no prison escapee.."

Cop: "Just call 911--all you gotta do and they'll get a hold of us--all right.

McNair: You have a good day now.

Cop: Be careful buddy.

McNair: Thank you!

Cop: All right.."

Unbelievable as it maybe, it is true, and so is the chance Richard Lee McNair could be in the Ark-La-Tex.

"He could be here, he could be at your house, he could be in New York, California, anywhere," says Rapides Parish Sheriff William Hilton.

Hilton says McNair was seen outside of Alexandria the day he escaped. Officials say he was reparing mailbags when he concealed himself inside a bundle and was carried out of the prison on a forklift.

"What did you see? What did you think you saw? What was this person driving? What was he wearing? How was he acting where was he at.

Shreveport police Detective Roy Menefee is part of the department's 'FAST' team, the Fugitive Apprehension Strike Force. Though they are not yet involved in the case, they're ready to help.

"The more information we have on him, where he came from, who he is, what he does, what he done in the past, that gives us more grounds to work with," says Menefee.

Police say McNair was shot two people in North Dakota, killing one. He was sent to Louisiana because officials feared he would escape, since he had family there. Now on the run for four days, some fear he will strike out of sheer desperation.

"When you're sleeping in the dark, on the ground, in the cold, with bugs crawling on you, that's a deterrent, says Menefee."