Tennessee Families Rewarded $10K Each For Aiding Capture Of Georgia Inmates

PUTNAM COUNTY, GA -- Two Tennessee homeowners were rewarded $10,000 each for their respective roles in helping capture two Georgia inmates wanted in the slaying of two prison guards, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced Friday, Patch has learned.

When then-fugitives Ricky Dubose and Donnie Rowe disarmed two guards on a prison transport in Putnam County and fled, law enforcement officials launched a massive manhunt. The reward for the duo's capture reached $130,000 as authorities enlisted several state and federal agencies in the search.

The GBI's portion of the reward money was $20,000, according to agency spokeswoman Nelly Miles. (To get notified of more local news like this, click here to sign up for the Atlanta Patch. Or find your Atlanta-area town here. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

“This is the initial stage of the total reward being dispensed and all stakeholders involved continue discussions to determine how the remaining sum will be dispersed,” Miles said according to the Atlanta Journal-C0nstitution. “There are a multitude of contributors from government and private entities.”

Read more: Georgia fugitives captured after gunfight in Tennessee

Multiple agencies in both Tennessee and Georgia had a hand in bringing the nefarious duo to justice, but it was a couple that had been carjacked in Shelbyville that called 911, giving authorities the lead they needed to close in. It was also the alertness of another Volunteer State homeowner -- with a gun -- that made the two offenders surrender. The heroics call into question whether the reward money automatically goes to Tennessee civilians.

The GBI recognized those who assisted in the case last week, saying in a statement: "Information has revealed that the bravery of Tennessee civilians contributed to the apprehension of both inmates. The reward will be dispersed at the appropriate time. As there were several aspects involved in their apprehension, law enforcement will continue to review them and determine how it will be dispersed."
The homeowner who held the felons at bay with a gun has been identified by local media as Patrick Hale of Murfreesburo. He told local media that, "If that [the surrender] doesn't make you want to believe in Jesus Christ, I don't know what will."
Hale said that he heard from neighbors that the convicts were scampering around area yards, so he grabbed his little daughter, along with all the weapons in his home.
"We made the decision either to get in a panic room inside our house and be trapped or to get in our car and head down the road," Hale newschannel5. He said when they went outside, he made eye contact with the criminals, who began waving their shirts in surrender. He said he never confronted them or drew his weapon.

In the dangerous duo's first court appearance after being rearrested, the District Attorney said Wednesday morning that the state will seek the death penalty in the case.

The judge granted the convicts no bond "due to the circumstances regarding this matter," and said that a Putnam County grand jury would convene on Sept. 18.
"This is very clearly a death penalty case," Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Stephen Bradley said to the court. "We are preparing this case as a capital penalty trial."

Image via Tennessee Bureau of Investigation