Richard Matt Drunk? Report Says Escaped Prisoner’s Corpse ‘Reeked Of Alcohol’
As the story on convicted killers and prison escapees David Sweat and Richard Matt continues to unfold, new reports are painting a picture of Matt’s last days. Police officials say he was likely sick and quite miserable. And also drunk.
On Wednesday night, two days before Richard Matt would ultimately be found and killed, police were called to the scene of a break in at a cabin. It was in this cabin that police say they found a pair of “soiled underwear.” DNA tests showed that they belonged to Matt, indicating that he was quite ill, probably from consuming bad water or food. Add to that the stress Matt was likely under, and you’ve got one ill inmate, says Franklin County Sheriff Kevin Mulverhill.
“Anyone in the woods and on the run from the law so to speak is not getting a full eight hours sleep, they’re not eating well and they have to keep moving.”
Friday morning, hours before Richard Matt would be caught, police were alerted to another burglarized cabin at the base of Humbug Mountain. There, authorities found an empty bottle of rum, and a half-drunk bottle of grape-flavored gin.
“The camp had been broken into and there were booze bottles on the table,” said Howard Maneely, Malone Town Supervisor.
“It was fresh,” said Brad Willet, co-owner of the cabin, “He [Bob Willet, the other co-owner] walked into the camp, and he could smell the gin.”
Hours later, Matt attempted to steal camper, but failed, when the driver towing the camper didn’t even realize he’d been shot at until he stopped 8 miles away, and found a bullet hole in the trailer. He immediately contacted police who assembled a tactical team from U.S. Customs and Border Protection who began their search for Richard Matt. It didn’t take long, however, for authorities to find the escaped prisoner.
An ill-timed cough or clearing of his throat ultimately gave Matt away, and after refusing to listen to officers’ commands, the convicted murderer was shot and killed. When officials approached Richard Matt, CBS News reports, the corpse “reeked of booze.”
Was Richard Matt being drunk what led to him being caught and gunned down? Louis Haremski, who prosecuted Matt’s case back in 2008 said the inmate swore at the time that if ever managed to escape, he wouldn’t be captured alive. Matt’s co-escapee David Sweat was shot and captured alive on Sunday. He is currently being treated at Albany Medical Center where he is listed as being in critical condition.
[Image Credit: BBC News]
