Jason Laird, Kandace Newton and Alvin Searcy (Photos courtesy of Ozark County Sheriff’s Office)
A Missouri state prison escapee from Gainesville is in custody after being captured Saturday in Ozark County following a four-day search, and two Ozark County residents are now charged in connection with the incident. Forty-four-year-old Jason Laird was located in Brixey, and Kandace Newton and Alvin Searcy each face a felony count of hindering prosecution.
Laird has been serving time in the Missouri Department of Corrections for a number of crimes in Ozark County. According to the Ozark County Sheriff’s Office, he escaped from his work detail at the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia Tuesday afternoon.
On Saturday, the Ozark County/Douglas County Multijurisdictional Task Force received information of Laird being in the area. During the search, the team observed an individual, identified as Newton, with local warrants. They made contact with Newton at a residence and took her into custody. While at the residence, Douglas County Sheriff Chris Degase reportedly observed Laird enter the residence. While searching for Laird, the team discovered he had escaped again.
A citizen later reported seeing Laird attempting to flag a ride north of Missouri Route N. The team responded to the area and located a male attempting to cross the road. The male was identified as Laird and taken into custody without incident.
The truck Laird allegedly stole from the Misouri Department of Transportation near the State Fairgrounds was recovered during the early morning hours of Saturday.
Laird was picked up by the Missouri Department of Corrections Sunday afternoon from the Ozark County Jail.
Newton and Searcy ares being held in the Ozark County Jail on a cash-only bond of $5,000.
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