The monthlong nationwide manhunt for four inmates who escaped a Georgia jail in October has now concluded with the capture of the final fugitive.
On Sunday, November 13th, authorities apprehended 37-year-old Johnifer Dernard Barnwell at a home in Augusta, Georgia. Barnwell was one of four men being held at the Bibb County Jail in Macon, Georgia who broke out in the early morning hours of October 16th.
Barnwell’s capture comes after the previous apprehensions of two fellow escapees, 29-year-old Chavis Demaryo Stokes on October 26th and 25-year-old Marc Kerry Anderson on November 3rd. 52-year-old Joey Fournier remains at large.
Breakout from Bibb County Jail
According to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and FBI, Barnwell was initially jailed on drug charges. The four inmates escaped by compromising a window and cutting through a fence near the jail grounds.
Surveillance footage revealed a blue Dodge Challenger parked just outside the jail perimeter in the hours leading up to the breakout. The video also showed an unidentified individual tampering with the fence and bringing items inside to assist in the escape.
Authorities later located this Dodge Challenger abandoned in the parking lot of a blood plasma donation center in Macon.
Manhunt and Captures
A reward of up to $73,000 was offered for information leading to the arrest of the four escapees. Barnwell was captured at a home where police also discovered a significant quantity of narcotics.
Stokes, who had been jailed on armed robbery charges, was apprehended in Warner Robins, Georgia on October 26th. Anderson was captured inCompatible Focus Keyword near Macon on November 3rd. He had been previously jailed for murder charges.
The search took a bizarre turn in late October when 33-year-old Christian Demond Williams fatally shot himself as officers arrived to question him about the fugitives. Williams had been due to stand trial for a 2021 Macon murder but disappeared the day before his court date.
Ongoing Search for Joey Fournier
With Barnwell now back in custody, the search continues for the remaining escapee Joey Fournier. According to Georgia news outlets, Fournier had been jailed in connection with the 2022 death of his ex-girlfriend at the time of the breakout.
Authorities are continuing to pursue leads on Fournier’s possible whereabouts. Tips from the public will play a crucial role in tracking down and capturing this final fugitive.
The brazen escape of four inmates from the Bibb County Jail prompted an exhaustive nationwide manhunt by local and federal law enforcement. While three escapees have now been apprehended, the search remains underway to put the final fugitive back behind bars.
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