Officials still searching for prison escapee

David Hill

Local officials are still searching for a prisoner from the Southeast Correction Center in Charleston, Mo., who escaped on foot Monday during a work release assignment on Route O, in Kennett.

The prisoner was discovered to be David Hill, 44, who is 5'10" tall and weighs approximately 160 pounds, according to the Public Information Officer for the Southeast Correctional Center, Jacqueline Lapine. Hill, an African American, is described as having black hair and brown eyes and other features including a neck disc problem, a scar on his left hand, a one-inch scar on his left arm, a scar from a gunshot wound on his right arm, a round scar on his right wrist, a scar on his right forearm, a scar on his upper left arm, and a tattoo on his upper left arm.

Hill was working on the road crew with the Missouri Department of Transportation, when officials say he just walked away from the scene.

He was incarcerated in the Missouri Department of Corrections on August 5, 2005, and is currently serving six years for two counts of Distributing/Delivering/Manufacturing/Attempt to/Possession with Intent and Unlawful Use of a Weapon from Dunklin County, according to Lapine.

The Department of Corrections has contacted the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Kennett Police Department, and the Dunklin County Sheriff's Department in reference to the situation. Dunklin County Sheriff, Bob Holder, said that officials believe that Hill may have fled from the area, but are still on the search for the missing prisoner.

"He has family in the area and was originally from Kennett," Holder said.

Anyone who believes that they may have seen Hill should not confront him, but instead contact local law enforcement, the Missouri State Highway Patrol or the Southeast Correctional Center at (573) 683-4409.