The escaped inmates originally planned to go to Mexico

Mexico
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Convicted murderers David Sweat and Richard Matt had originally planned to drive to Mexico after escaping from a New York prison earlier this month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) told public radio show Capitol Pressroom on Monday.

Using power tools, they escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility on June 6, allegedly with the help of prison worker Joyce Mitchell. The three were going to head south after killing Mitchell's husband, Sweat said in the hospital, but when Mitchell backed out, they decided to make a break for Canada.

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Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.