Escapees caught, to be charged in murder

PALATKA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida sheriff says two men who escaped from jail there will be charged with murdering a 66-year-old woman hours after the breakout this week.

Deputies captured Doni Ray Brown and Timothy Wayne Fletcher on Saturday in Pomona Park in the northern part of the state.

The Putnam County Sheriff’s office says two deputies tackled the men during a foot chase after receiving a tip that they were in the area.

Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy told reporters at a news conference that the two men will be charged with murder in the death of Helen Googe, who was found dead after their escape early Wednesday.

The men also face an escape charge.

A nationwide alert had been put out for the two men after a car stolen from Googe’s house was found in Kentucky.

The sheriff’s office received a call Saturday morning about two suspicious men in a green vehicle.

After finding the vehicle, which was reportedly stolen in Tennessee, investigators used helicopters and police dogs to search for the men.

When they were spotted walking near a wooded area, two deputies chased them down and grabbed them around 6 p.m., authorities said.

Brown, 23, of Satsuma and Fletcher, 25, of Welaka, fled the jail about 4 a.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

The two men shared a jail cell, but it wasn’t clear how they escaped.

Brown had been arrested Aug. 17 and charged with robbery with a firearm.

Fletcher was arrested March 3 on three counts of failure to appear on an aggravated assault charge.