$90,000 Reward Now Offered for Capture of Escaped Inmates

A $90,000 reward is now being offered for two inmates who escaped from Baldwin State Prison early this morning in Putnam County.

The men are identified as 43-year old Donnie Russell Rowe of Bibb County, and 24-year old Ricky Dubose of Comer in Madison County.

Putnam County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Teresa Slade said at about 7:30a this morning, the men were in a prison transport van near Eatonton, Georgia when attacked the two guards in the van, killing them both.

Slade said a witness said Rowe and DuBose then allegedly carjacked a “grass green,” four-door 2004 Honda Civic with the Georgia license plate number RBJ-6601. Law enforcement officials now say a second vehicle is also being sought after in connection with the two, A White Ford F-250 with body damage, a silver toolbox on the bed, and a Ga plate that reads BCX 5372. The truck was stolen from the Madison area sometime between 6pm Tuesday Evening and 6am Wednesday morning.

Dennis Bell is a Captain with the Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s office and the former Chief of the Comer Police Department in Madison County.

Bell says the pair were able to ditch their prison uniforms at some point today and are now wearing street clothes.

“They found the prisoner uniforms down there,” Bell said. “So that means they have broken into somebody’s house and changed clothes. They also think they have a positive sighting on them down in Madison, Georgia.”

 

At the time of their escape, both men were serving sentences for armed robbery and other crimes, according to the Georgia Department of Correction’s website.

In June 2015, Dubose, who is from Comer, plead guilty in Superior Court in Elberton for the 2014 shooting and armed robbery of an Elberton man.

He was sentenced to 20 years with no parole.

Rowe had been in prison since June 2002 serving a life sentence for burglary convictions in Bibb County.

Both men are now also wanted for murder and are considered armed and dangerous.

Bell said DuBose may attempt to return to his hometown or to friends in the area, but he says the best thing the men can do now is give up.

Both men are white males. Rowe is approximately 6ft tall with brown hair and blue eyes and weighs about 200lbs. DuBose is about 6ft 1-inch tall with brown hair and weighs about 140lbs.

The Georgia Department of Corrections said  is you see the two men do not approach them, but call your local 911.

WLHR is continuing to follow this story and will bring you more details as they become available.