Two inmates escape from Virginia jail, including man arrested in murder of North Carolina deputy

(NEW YORK) — Federal, state and local officials are searching for two inmates who escaped from a Virginia jail, including a man who’s suspected of being involved in the murder of a North Carolina deputy, according to authorities.

Alder Marin-Sotelo, 26, and Bruce Callahan, 44, escaped “sometime” over the weekend from the Piedmont Regional Jail in Farmville, which is about 70 miles west of Richmond, according to the Prince Edward County Sheriff’s Department. The sheriff’s department said it was notified about the escape around 4 a.m. Monday.

Callahan is convicted of multiple federal drug charges and Marin-Sotelo is convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm, the sheriff’s department said. Both are from North Carolina, the department said.

Alder Marin-Sotelo is also a defendant in the murder of deputy Ned Byrd of the Wake County Sheriff’s Department in North Carolina, Wake County officials said.

Alder Marin-Sotelo and his brother, Arturo Marin-Sotelo, were indicted on murder charges in the August 2022 slaying and both pleaded not guilty, Raleigh ABC station WTVD-TV reported. Arturo Marin-Sotelo allegedly shot Byrd four times after the deputy stopped to check out a suspicious truck, according to WTVD.

The Wake County Sheriff’s Department, who said the escape took place around 1 a.m. Monday, said, “We are working with our state and federal partners, as well as local authorities in Virginia to ensure all resources are being used to bring the defendant back into custody.”

The U.S. Marshals are leading the manhunt, according to a source familiar with the investigation.

The Marshals later announced a $5,000 reward for any information leading to the capture of Callahan. The FBI is leading the investigation for Marin-Sotelo, according to a press release, and the Marshals are assisting in the case.