[PHOTOS] Ten Years Since the Infamous Dannemora Prison Escape

Chris Wattie, Reuters

Two murderers were on the run for over 3 weeks in Northern New York

Ten years ago on June 5–6, 2015, convicted killers Richard Matt and David Sweat tunneled out of the maximum‑security Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, N.Y.—triggering a massive, 22‑day, $20‑million manhunt that captivated all of upstate and the entire country.

The escape was shocking not just for its boldness —using smuggled power tools and crawling through catwalks and pipes—but also for insider involvement. Prison seamstress Joyce Mitchell and guard Gene Palmer were later arrested for aiding the breakout.

Matt was shot and killed by law enforcement weeks later; Sweat was eventually captured alive and received additional prison time. The dramatic event inspired the Showtime TV series Escape at Dannemora

The Dannemora escape remains one of the most infamous prison breaks in U.S. history.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo tours the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York, in this handout picture taken June 6, 2015.
Photo provided, Reuters

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