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Joey Fournier, the last of four inmates who escaped from a central Georgia county jail in October, has been recaptured, as announced by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
Fournier, 52, from Macon, was apprehended near Stockbridge, Georgia, just before noon on Saturday. Later in the day, the sheriff’s office plans to return the escapee, who is accused of murder, to the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center.
The escape, which occurred in the early hours of October 16, involved the inmates breaking out through a damaged window and a cut fence at the Bibb County Detention Center. At the time, it was reported that an accomplice in a blue Dodge Challenger near the fence may have assisted in the escape.
Here’s a look at the fence four inmates cut to escape from the Bibb County Jail early this morning. This is the second time in a few weeks a hole has been cut into the fence surrounding the LEC. pic.twitter.com/2EdoGMG6wq
— Brittany Miller (@MMJBrittany) October 16, 2023
The capture of Fournier concludes a monthlong manhunt that led to the recapture of the other three escapees. Last Sunday, Johnifer Dernard Barnwell, 37, was found in Augusta, Georgia, where authorities also seized a significant amount of drugs. The US Marshals Service was holding Barnwell on federal drug distribution charges at the time of his escape.
The two other inmates, Chavis Demaryo Stokes, 29, and Marc Kerry Anderson, 25, were apprehended in Montezuma and Atlanta, Georgia.
In a statement, Bibb County Sheriff David Davis said, “We are grateful that this last escapee has been captured. My heartfelt appreciation goes out to all of the hard-working law enforcement officers from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and from all of our partner agencies who worked tirelessly to bring these four fugitives back into custody.” Sheriff Davis mentioned that the department is making staffing changes and conducting an internal investigation to prevent future incidents.