Escaped Georgia inmates captured in Tennessee after car chase

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 16 June 2017

Cellmates from a Georgia prison who shot and killed two correctional officers on a transport bus Tuesday were captured in Tennessee on Thursday, authorities said.

Donnie Russel Rowe, who was serving a sentence of life without parole for armed robbery, and Ricky Dubose, serving 20 years for armed robbery, were able to get by a protective gate and disarm officers Christopher Monica, 42, and Curtis Billue, 58. The officers were shot and killed, but authorities said they are not sure which inmate pulled the trigger. "Both officers were known for their unwavering commitment to their job and their love of family," the Georgia Department of Corrections said in a statement.

Rowe and Dubose then got off the bus and allegedly carjacked another vehicle, police said. On Thursday, officers in Tennessee saw a vehicle believed to have been carjacked, and a chase began, with speeds reaching more than 100 mph. Two police vehicles were shot at during the pursuit, and after the suspects' car crashed, they ran through the woods, where they ultimately surrendered to authorities. No injuries were reported. Earlier in the day, the sheriff of Putnam County, Georgia, Howard Sills, said that with Rowe and Dubose on the loose, the public was in "grave danger."

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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