A man facing a second-degree murder charge escaped custody last month and the whole thing was caught on video, per authorities in Oregon.
On Thursday, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office released footage from what would have been 28-year-old Edi Villalobos’ jury selection … if he hadn’t made a run for it.
According to police, Villalobos was brought to Washington County courthouse on February 27, 2023 for the start of his trial. He faces charges including murder in the second degree, unlawful use of a weapon, elude, two counts of burglary in the first degree, reckless driving, and reckless endangering.
As they entered the court room, the suspect’s restraints were removed. This is required under Oregon law during jury selection, so as not to prejudice the panel by seeing the defendant in cuffs.
With his hands and feet free, Villalobos stands up and appears to be switching seats — before apparently making a beeline for the door and sprinting right out of the courtroom. Two officers chase behind him, as he’s then seen running through the hallways, past a shocked onlooker and then right out the front door.
What followed was a two-hour manhunt to get Villalobos back in custody, as authorities used canines and drones to find him, after asking residents living nearby to shelter in place.
The suspect was apprehended after authorities were contacted by a community member who said someone was trying to break into the apartment below them. Police say they found him hiding under a blanket in a closet, before being taken back to Washington County Jail. He was later indicted with two additional counts of burglary in the first degree and one count of escape in the second degree for his getaway.
Per KPTV, Villalobos is accusing of stabbing a man to death and attacking another with a knife in 2021.
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