Highlights
- Escape at Dannemora True Story of Richard Matt & David Sweat’s 2015 prison break.
- Both prisoners used hacksaws to cut through cell walls and escape through heating pipes.
- Joyce Mitchell smuggled tools and supplies into the prison, aiding the escape plan.
- Richard Matt was killed during the manhunt, while David Sweat was captured near the Canadian border.
- Joyce Mitchell was sentenced to up to seven years for her role in helping the prisoners.
In June 2015, convicted murderers Richard Matt and David Sweat made a daring escape from Clinton Correctional Facility, as depicted in the series Escape at Dannemora.
The pair’s breakout plan involved using hacksaws to cut holes in their cell walls. Over time, they accessed utility catwalks and, eventually, a large heating pipe that led them to a street grate just a block away from the prison.
Why Richard Matt & David Sweat Were in Prison
Richard Matt had a long history of crime, including theft, assault, and even murder. He was sentenced to 25 to life after kidnapping and killing his boss, William Rickerson, in 1997.
Matt snapped Rickerson’s neck and disposed of the body in the Niagara River. After killing another person in Mexico, Matt was brought back to the U.S. and convicted for Rickerson’s murder.
David Sweat, on the other hand, was involved in a series of burglaries in the 1990s. In 2002, he murdered by shooting and running over Officer Kevin Tarisa during a robbery in Pennsylvania.
After pleading guilty to avoid the death penalty, Sweat received a life sentence without parole.
How Joyce Mitchell Helped Matt & Sweat Escape
Joyce Mitchell, a civilian supervisor at the prison’s tailor shop, became a key figure in the escape. Portrayed by Patricia Arquette in Escape at Dannemora, Mitchell smuggled hacksaw blades and other essential supplies into the prison.
She was well aware of her role in the escape plot and had even agreed to drive Matt and Sweat away after their escape. However, Mitchell’s plan fell apart when she was hospitalized due to chest pains.
Mitchell’s frequent interactions with the prisoners in the tailor shop allowed her to build enough trust to sneak in tools.
This was facilitated by a correction officer, Eugene Palmer, who rarely frisked Matt when he returned from the shop.
After authorities accounted for all prison tools, suspicions arose, leading to Mitchell’s arrest in September 2015. She was sentenced to up to seven years and fined $80,000.
The 3-Week Manhunt for Matt & Sweat
After the escape on June 6, 2015, a massive manhunt involving multiple agencies, including the FBI and U.S. Border Control, began.
Matt and Sweat evaded capture for three weeks. Richard Matt was eventually located in Owls Head, New York, on June 26. Armed with a shotgun, he refused to surrender and was shot and killed by state police officers.
David Sweat, now on his own after parting ways with Matt, set his sights on reaching Canada. He traveled stealthily through the wilderness under the cover of night, skillfully evading the authorities.
On June 28, just two miles from the Canadian border, Sweat was finally apprehended after being shot by a trooper.
What Happened After Their Capture
After being shot, David Sweat was taken to a hospital in Albany, where he was questioned and then transferred to Five Points Correctional Facility in Romulus, New York.
Richard Matt, on the other hand, did not survive his encounter with law enforcement. Joyce Mitchell, who expressed regret for aiding the escape, was released from a Connecticut prison in February 2020.
