Why haven’t they caught these convicted murderers yet? Let us show you.
The view from Wolf Pond Road. Investigators think these two inmates are out there…somewhere. Photo: Julia Ferguson
The manhunt for Richard Matt and David Sweat is now in its 19th day. Over the weekend there was a rush of hope after investigators found DNA evidence in a seasonal cabin in Franklin County. With more than 1,000 searchers in pursuit, including helicopters, tracking dogs, and deeply experienced New York State Forest Rangers, it seemed like the two convicted murderers would soon be back behind bars. So what happened?
What we found during our day spent exploring the perimeter of the latest “hot zone” was that this is vast territory, some of the wildest and most remote terrain in the eastern U.S. We began by driving a long stretch of Wolf Pond Road, entering the search area from the direction the inmates might have followed around Lyon Mountain and Dannemora.
Wold Pond Road winds through a wall of green. Photo: Julia Ferguson
With NCPR intern Julia Ferguson snapping pictures, I gained a new sense of just how vast this section of the Great North Woods is. We drove and drove, often grinding through flooded sections, with rushing creeks flanking the dirt track. The forest on both sides was saturated with heavy rain.
Searching a wall of green
A rare road marker showing the way through winding logging roads and ATV tracks. Photo: Julia Ferguson
And there’s not just one road. As we drove, we saw a snarl of logging roads, hunting camp tracks and ATV trails winding away on both sides. All of that has to be searched. Only the occasional way-marker kept us on track as we made our way toward Mountain View.
We tried to imagine the difficulty of spotting two men in that dense brush who were trying to stay hidden. Matched against this terrain is a small army of trained searchers, men and women who are highly committed to keeping the pressure on Matt and Sweat. We saw a lot of that, too.
A helicopter sweeps overhead, keeping watch over roads and trails. Photo: Julia Ferguson
As we cut back and circled around through Malone to the northern side of the search perimeter – in the Mountain View-Owl’s Head area near Titus Mountain – we saw more and more State Police, FBI, and other agencies moving in convoys. At one point, we watched two choppers circle an area in tight formation. But that turned out to be a false alarm and soon teams were scattering to probe other areas.
Wilderness and tourist cabins
Another complication is that this area, while wild and remote, is heavily dotted with seasonal structures, cabins, and small tourist enclaves. The truth is that while everyone hopes that these inmates are hungry and exhausted, they may well have found resources on their journey that will help them keep going. That could include food, maps, clothing and even firearms.
Investigators are searching wilderness areas, but they’re also scouring small tourist communities like Mountain View south of Malone. Photo: Julia Ferguson
As we saw the number of structures in the area — many of them still empty and waiting for high summer when seasonal visitors arrive — it became clearer and clearer just how complex this search will be.
State Police, Corrections Officers, and other units have established a cordon around this section of the North Country, hoping to squeeze the area where these men could be hiding or trekking overland, but so far there have been no confirmed sightings.
So where does that leave us? It’s been almost three weeks and in theory, Richard Matt and David Sweat have experienced a living hell since digging and cutting their way out of Clinton Dannemora prison. They may be hungry and weary and bug-eaten enough that they will give themselves up any day.
Guarding the perimeter of the search area just north of Titus Mountain outside of Malone. Photo: Julia Ferguson
Searchers could also get a lucky strike any moment. One slip-up, one wrong move, and these inmates will be nabbed. But unsatisfying and nerve-wracking as it sounds, this manhunt could still take days or even weeks. “The search area involves a large portion of Franklin County,” State Police acknowledged this week in a statement, “which is mostly rural with very rugged, mountainous terrain.”
After our long drive yesterday, we got a better, more visceral sense of just how daunting the logistics are for this search effort.
–Brian Mann & Julia Ferguson
Tags: adirondacks, criminal justice, dannnemora, prison escape
I would love to see a story and pictures of out of shape reporters ‘trying’ to cover this story
NCPR reporters move across the wilderness landscape like ninja superheros, Ed
Good perspective, Brian & Julia: A landscape that can swallow not only individuals, but cadres of trained searchers as well.
As far as I can tell, we have yet to see images of the actual hunting camp the fugitives allegedly occupied. It is my understanding that some of those camps (unlike the image of a rundown husk of a cabin broadcast by CNN & others) are pretty well tricked out. That a well-stocked hunting camp owned by Corrections Officers might have sheltered (and God-forbid armed) Matt & Sweat could be a real embarrassment for Law Enforcement authorities, does not seem enough of a justification for embargoing this detail.
Marquil –
Some news organizations have reported that the camp where these men sheltered is owned or co-owned by corrections officers. We haven’t been able to verify that. Meanwhile, the section of Wolf Pond Road where the camp sits has been cordoned off because of the intense search activity. We haven’t been able to get close to that site. Yesterday, the FBI was still doing forensic work at the site.
One thing I do know is that a lot of the camps up in that area are owned by COs, state police and other law enforcement and former military. That’s just the culture up there, with a lot of people working in that field. So I’m not sure that it would be particularly significant (let alone embarrassing) for these inmates to randomly choose one of their cabins.
-Brian Mann, NCPR
I saw a picture of the cabin from another source. Looks like your standard hunting shack. Not too fancy. My guess is that the owner is not dumb enough to stash firearms in a camp like this. If you do they will get stolen. I have had my camp broken into several times and that is clearly what the thieves were after. Opened large cabinets etc.
Brian and Julia, be careful I don’t think it is smart to be wandering around that area given the circumstances. You might get a good picture of the bad guys as they are kidnapping you and stealing your car. We know what the woods look like. Google maps has all the detail from the safety of my office.
People can be lost within 100 yards or less of a trail or a seldom-used road. Bodies can lie unfound in woods while officers and dogs search right next to them. The hardships of trying to survive in the woods is more likely, I think, to lead to a capture than these guys being found by searchers.
All this speculation is based upon the idea that the escapees are still somewhere in NYS.
Until or unless they are caught, we won’t know where they are.
The escapees, like Schrodinger’s cat, are both in NYS and not in NYS until we find them.
Embarrassment I guess is in the eye of the beholder (or reporter). I suspect downstate & MSM news outlets might make a lot more hay out of the irony of fugitives sheltering in the sporting retreats of their pursuers than upstate media. Part of the irony of course lies in the fairly common selling point of No. Country prisons that the enveloping terrain is hostile and impenetrable. In reality there does exist a network of utility lines, logging roads, abandoned RR right-of-ways, ATV/snowmobile trails, deer paths and hiking trails. Throughout the network numerous vacant seasonal structures—many, as you say belonging to members of the law enforcement community—dating back a century or more.
would be interested to see how perimeter is “held” at night with manpower ebbs and flows. just the mechanics of it must be daunting. I would assume they try to get to a logging road to logging road, or power line, with each thrust but….that cant always happen?
Does anyone know who is in overall charge of the search effort? It is beginning to seem strange that two men, presumably without resources or assistance and reportedly lacking local knowledge or woodsman’s skills, have eluded capture as long as they have. I suspect there’s more to the story than has been reported.
Very informative for those who don’t live in the reason. Thanks for reporting this.
OL –
The incident commander is Major Charles Guess, commander of Troop B in Ray Brook. He’s the guy.
I think you’re asking the right questions: How have they managed to remain on the loose for 19 days? So far, investigators tell us there is no factual indication that the inmates had assistance from anyone outside the prison, though they haven’t ruled that out.
It may turn out that these inmates just got lucky and that they are stubborn and desperate enough to just keep scrambling. If they walked for five hours that first night before anyone was even looking for them, they might have escaped into that rough territory north and west of Lyon Mountain, grabbing supplies and shelter in seasonal cabins there.
But right now, who knows? I think that’s why State Police are pounding every lead, whether it’s in Mountain View in Franklin County or Friendship in Allegany County. What I saw yesterday indicates that they’re still rolling in full force every time they get a tip. My sense is that the people who want to wrap this up the most are the people out there searching.
-Brian, NCPR
Thanks for this perspective of the search area. It is frustrating to read/watch media reports from people who have no clue to the actual terrain of the area or any concept of our culture. This terrain is every bit as unforgiving as you note. I own property nearby, snowmobile in the immediate search area and fish in some of the local waters…so I can say from first hand knowledge that your description is very accurate.
Original Larry,
Worth bearing in mind that—despite tailor shop duty—these seem to be fairly toughened individuals. They are also practiced con men, who might have easily gleaned valuable information about the hunting/north woods camping life in casual conversations with their guards. Also, I think, in a haystack advantage always goes to the needles. In the short term, at least.
I spend a great deal of time in the woods in all seasons of the year and I can understand how difficult it is to find them. I have this fantasy of giant can of pepper spray or spray of some sort from crop dusters or choppers. I’m a bit twisted. They seem to be headed for the border. Are the Canadians ready and waiting?
They can’t find them because they were already in Canada before anyone knew they were missing.
All this cop show is just a way of trying to reinforce future budget demands with receipts, and an attempt not to look like fools.
Notice how you haven’t been allowed to see the site? That’s so they can consolidate the story they feed your frequency.
Maybe you should be looking in the prison, LOL, the whole thing could be a false flag perpetrated by budget hungry agents of wealth accumulators.
I thought DNA had to go to a lab and be cultured, how did they get the results so quickly?
Thanks for the info, Brian. I think Major Guess will have some explaining to do when all is said and done. Nobody’s luck holds for three weeks.
I have an idea, Hunt these men on horseback. Put the troopers and rangers on horseback. They can move along the trails and listen and watch on a horse. 4 wheelers are not working! Too loud.
Thank you for writing this article. I have read many comments criticizing the law enforcement in this area (Franklin Co NY).
The Adirondack Mountains were declared “Forever Wild” over a hundred years ago. As such, short of the infrequent sales of property, the area being searched is full of trees, hundreds of years old and more importantly undergrowth that can give pause and perhaps even stop the most experienced of woodsmen.
Further, I wanted to add that to think these guys have not been able to meet their immediate physical needs in 18 days is also false. Many hunting camps will have dry goods stored there, are easy to get into and unfortunately, some may even have firearms. (A foolish place to leave them, but it happens.) So, if the convicts moved from camp to camp, they could survive for many weeks and possibly not be discovered until hunting season opens in the fall.
Thank you for the article, again. I just wanted to add a little more information to the environmental challenges faced by law enforcement.
I went to college in western NY and currently live downstate. All of the comments I read are very well thought out, if Matt and Sweat are still in the woods. These two convicts planned this escape for some time, last I heard it was a year in planning. These two are resourceful and it’s doubtful that they could have planned their escape route without external help. Imagine trying to open a manhole cover from underneath. Canada is approximately a ten hour walk and Mexico in approximately a 35 hour drive. The sightings could be anyone.
my question is we have all the good folks out there searching they say up to a 1000 people why don’t they just make a big round circle around the perimator they are searching and do drive on them and yes the land is horriable to search but this was just just an idea on doing a drive on them if you surround them in a circle in wards they will have no other place to go just a question,prayers go out to the the searchers and the family for their safe return and capture the 2 guys.
Many people have continued to speculate that they are long gone (myself included). The cops focused their search locally and have been criticized for that. Now all the evidence shows that the speculation is incorrect and the cops have been correct. Slipping west out of that prison area and into this area with all its seasonal cabins etc. It seems perfectly plausible that it would play out just the way it appears to be playing out now. I don’t think that 19 days is that long considering. They could have been sitting in that one cabin for 17 of the 19 days. It was reported that there was food there.
The one thing that is absolutely certain here is that these law enforcement officers are incredibly brave to be doing what they are doing. My hope is that they, and we, will prevail, possibly very soon.
Kenny, it’s too brushy for horses. Think about how tall you are.
robyn, the diameter of that circle is three hundred miles (50 mile radius * 2 * Pi). With 1,000 officers, that’s about an officer every third of a mile. In the woods. Day and night. 24 hours.
mike owen, geezums. As a practical matter, they HAVE to search locally. What else are they going to do? Just not search?
thandlr, the story was mis-reported. DNA was taken for analysis, not immediately matched.
Pete Klein, with bloody socks found in the reported camp? Oh, that’s them. Think of the distance they walked, and on feet not used to walking long distances. They have very blistered and sore feet.
Ed Low, did you miss the part about “driving”?
I concur with what Brian et al said. I’ve bicycled the New York Central branch between Lake Clear Junction and Malone. There is a whole LOT of nothing there. http://russnelson.com/nyc-south-from-malone.html
The idea that it’s hard to survive in an environment like the Adirondack woods this time of year is kind of ridiculous. I learned how to do it when I was a child. There’s lots and lots of edible wild stuff of all kinds, plants and animals. The bugs are inconvenient, but they don’t actually eat you up and you can ignore them. It’s easy to build a waterproof shelter that’s nearly invisible. One child can do it in an hour. Dogs are at a disadvantage in an area with so many bodies of water, and technology is at a disadvantage in an area with so much vertical. Animals can be trapped and fish can be caught, with equipment that’s easy to make. In the White Mountains, missing people who are searched for by rescue teams often turn up as dead bodies decades later. It’s very hard to search an area like that. It’s hard to be organized when there are so many obstacles. Searchers are accustomed to grid patterns, which quickly become impossible in that type of environment. When I first heard these guys were missing, my first thought was that of course they would go to Adirondack Park. They can easily wait out the whole summer and part of the fall, there, without detection and without hardship. They can also go to Canada anytime they please. It’s mostly an unguarded rural border. These guys are a lot smarter than law enforcement. The law enforcement teams on TV remind me of the British soldier re-enactments from the Revolutionary War. Techniques that are not adapted to the situation.
It’s fun to speculate… and to speculate up on the speculation… There are things that seem to be very fuzzy. When a reporter talks to a former law enforcement agency does that person know as much as s/he proposes?
I wonder if the reporters know more than they let out. For example, I am guessing the reporters do not know when the DNA at the camp was created. On the surface you get the feeling they think the escapees are in the Mountain View area.. But why, if the DNA was created a week ago they could be anywhere.
Even when you take things that are highly likely… like the men are walking three miles a hour, for 10 hours a day… that assumes they have covered nearly 600 miles… But the men are not familiar with the area.. at frist probably didn’t have a compass or GPS… so that walking could be a lot of circling.
A lot of the information that would allow this story to start making sense, is either not reported on or has been revealed by the officials. Like when they were in prison, did they work out a lot.. run in place (I’m guessing they don’t have an elliptical to run on). Do they have any contacts in the area… what kinds of contact DID they have (visitors and phone calls).
We have all the internet and google, but we know so little… and as Marquil Cartoon points out.. much of the chatter that we are hearing is gossip and hearsay
the question about the DNA testing and how quickly it can be done is this I believe the police are doing a DNA profiling test that is where you have a sample on hand which the prison system would have on file and the sample collected which came from the water bottle if this is the case it could be done within hours and you would only have to look for a hand full of genetic markers to match it someone. If you wanted a complete DNA test done that test would take quite awhile longer.
They need Afghanistan Veterans used to rugged terrain and house to house search
I grew up in Malone and still have family all over the North Country. I spent the first 18 years of my life hiking, camping, swimming, boating, and cross country skiing all over Franking and Clinton counties. It is a true wilderness area, and there are injuries, accidental deaths and people that go missing every year. Sometimes they don’t find the wintertime corpses until the spring thaw. The terrain is mostly rugged and mountainous, with lots of ponds, lakes and streams, and the weather can fluctuate fast. Navigating the forest region on foot is challenging even for experienced hikers and climbers with the right gear and preparation. Lastly, it’s “Black Fly Season” in this area right now. If you have ever experienced black flies in the Northeast you will shudder at the thought. And because it’s been a VERY rainy spring, the insect population is immense right now. These two guys, if they are still in the area and hiding in the woods, are not having an easy go of it, even if they occasionally come across a cabin or camp they can use. Without the right clothing and gear, and without access to clean water and food, they are miserable and will eventually be found. If they have already managed to get out of the area to a major city (NYC, Montreal, Philadelphia, etc.) they could get lost in the crowd for some time, alter their appearances, and attempt to leave the U.S.A. Time will tell, and hopefully it will be sooner rather than later.
Things are purposefully fuzzy. The police are very careful about what they say to each other forget about the press. These guys could be listening in by many different means. Reporters also know that they have an obligation to not interfere with an investigation or hinder a capture.
Have the folks up there seen any drones at work?
As far as the DNA if they found DNA at the scene where it appears a person was running from said scene you got a pretty good lead.
Good story and photos. Thanks. Reminiscent of the D.B.Cooper search in the early 70s.
I have been going to the Adirondacks since the 50s why did they not get trackers, hunters or Adirondack guides. People who really know this area.
FUNNY … That no one mentions the fact that 2 guys who have been in prison for over a decade and have absolutely no experience in the wilderness let alone experience in navigation are outsmarting close to a 1000 highly experienced
and trained professionals.
But hey… lets talk about those ” highly experienced professionals” that work in the prison system that are scrambling to
appear innocent of any wrong.
A major shake up of the entire hierarchy should be demanded by the citizens of the NYS after the bill comes in to the
taxpayers.
A maximum security prison should not be a Monty Python or Three Stooges movie.
Take out anyone ? uh… Yes please I’ll have a frozen hamburger and hold the relish !
Garrow hung out for days in the woods within sight of the police command post, watching.
isn’t? there a road that leads from Mountain View to Loon Lake
I am quite familiar with this area of search. It is vast, rugged and thick with brush, timber and downed timber. The bugs this time of year are horrendous. If the black flies and deer flies aren’t enough, hordes of mosquitos will eat you alive day and night. The woods are traversed by miles upon miles of overgrown and interconnected old logging and skidder trails. Moss covered boulder, mountain lions nobody talks about, black bear, packs of coyotes, bobcats, you name it. These convicts can’t be having a swell time, but seriously, 1,000 cops may not be enough.
So far, Brian Mann’s reports have consistently been the most accurate of the search.
I like men on horses. Perhaps some hungry pit bulls can be released near the last known sighting.
They might find something to eat.
Does anyone think about how that CO approached the cabin without being heard? Should be able to hear crickets out there. Was he sneaking up on foot with a very quiet dog (who doesn’t bark at stinky strangers), or was he on a ATV? He was so incredibly quiet, he had to call out to whoever was in the cabin to leave… hmmm. Two violent, convicted murderers who have made the 15 Most Wanted fugitives list then fled like scaredy cats at the bark of a command from one individual. And, the CO got no glimpse to describe even the smallest detail of whoever was running, yet is sure someone ran out? Either there are details being withheld here, or something sounds fishy. Lots of folks wonder if the DNA evidence may have been planted either because there is an assumption the fugitives may be in the area and the reward money is enticing, or to pull the search away from the fugitives in another area. Another thought… many think the fugitives have been long gone, going separate ways via a ride or hopping a train since the beginning. It’s very convenient to have all these sightings in New York so the rest of the country and law enforcement isn’t even looking. Seriously, either we are missing details on purpose, or there needs to be a lie detector or further drilling on the CO who spotted the fugitives in the cabin. One last thing, folks should listen carefully to what Trooper Major Guess briefs, lots of false information out there like “fresh” DNA. You can’t tell how old DNA is. There is no such thing.
The reason that these men have not been caught is because none of the agencies are working together. It’s a pissing match over who is going to get the glory IF these guys are ever found. The FBI hate the State Police, the DEC hates the Sheriff, the Forest Rangers hates Homeland Security. Too much testosterone! Get over yourselves and get this job done!
I want to know how they were able to positively ID DNA, but labs can’t analyze rape cases within a decade?
They’re biggest advantage is it’s NOT the deeper part of the Forever Wild and wilderness, but has many of the advantages, plus the empty cabins. If I were in the area I’d certainly be worried. I also am bothered by the over emphasis on bugs, tired, etc. I know how bad the bugs can be, especially black fly time and when they and mosquitoes, and deer flies seem to peak at the same time. But if they have any knowledge of living off the land they could be doing fairly well. French Louie and trappers like my father (during the Depression) spent long periods off the grid, as we would call it today.
Not good news for NT Staters.
There is a reason that most of the lower 48 was settled before the Adirondacks. It’s hard country. Sure, there’s lots of food and water available in the summer to skilled woodsmen, and the bugs can be pretty bad but if you’ve got 3 weeks of mud and grime on you they aren’t so bad but without a trial or road or boat you aren’t getting anywhere very fast. Some places could take all day to go a few miles. I’ve done some brush popping on a horse but it isn’t much faster than on foot off trail. it is good country to hunker down and not be seen though…that’s why Bigfoot lives here.
To Thandlr and the folks who upvoted his post about how fast the DNA analysis was done…. you don’t “culture” DNA. It is not a living organism. It’s amplified using the polymerase chain reaction ( a process which takes a couple of hours) and then analyzed one of a few ways (which takes another hour or two. If you have power available, the equipment is very portable. Failing that, one can swab and transport to the nearest lab and have same day results if it is important enough.
I live within 15 miles of the search area. Some people may not understand, but the area is very dense with so many hiding places. It is common for hunting camps to have a gun or two left in them. Also some of these camps are elaborate and have lots of can goods, clothing and many other items the escapees could use. Police, as far as we know do not have any sightings making it hard to really pinpoint where they are. Hopefully it end sometime soon.
Why not use thermo detectors, army has them, it may help and fly at night using them, might pick them up quicker!
Remember the fugitive James Kopp who was on the run for years after murdering a doctor in NY back in the late 90s, I think? He managed to disappear for a long time before he was finally apprehended in Europe…
So first I’d like to know when the thumbs up/down portion of this comment system is unable to identify who does what. I got 57 thumbs down and some ups, but only one person responded to my comments directly, and I thank you for that Russ.
The big problem here is assumptions. Given the NCPR (or maybe that was NPR) demographic of an average income of subscribers being $77, 000 per year, it’s not surprising that the great majority of this page sides with the cops, that and the obvious fact that only cops and officials of some sort are getting interviewed. That’s a textbook example of advocacy journalism, I I have to point out that Brian is consistently guilty as charged. Just one example being the Candidacy of Matt Funiciello being ignored or speculated on as a person who is a 911 conspiracy crazy, all based on a question he asked about building seven, eight years ago.
So how about some of you 57 dislikers coming up with why you dislike what I’m saying? Given that we have gone from a prison population of 300, 000 nationally in 1973 to 2.3 million presently, why are we supposed to trust law enforcement? Citizen’s United opened the door to unlimited campaign contributions. Why wouldn’t that affect these institutions? Why is TPP mentioned but never in a way that we find out what is in it? Public Radio seems to be public in name only these days and I for one feel that’s not fair.
I have travelled, hunted and ridden snowmobiles and ATVs in that area (from the Loon Lake side) and am quite familiar with the logging roads and abandoned railroad lines. It seems logical to me that if those guys have maps obtained from one or more cabins, that they would follow the old New York Central and Deleware & Hudson RR lines southward toward Loon Lake and hence to Saranac Lake etc.
This area, as others have attested, is indeed a thick and nasty place to be, especially at this time of year. Obtaining shelter and food would be a priority for the escapees. The insects would provide an additional irritant for sure. We can only hope that they make a mistake sooner rather than later and are soon apprehended.
Brian Mann’s article and photos was well done – keep up the good work.
I’m from Philadelphia and just want to say that the most substantive and analytical comments on this whole search have been on this website. National media has been worthless. Keep up the good stuff!