INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Escaped inmates Leviticus Taylor and Rondell Reed got a much longer head start than initially believed, Sheriff Deryl Loar announced Wednesday morning. The men used dummies to trick the guard during bed-checks and escaped between midnight and 1 a.m. Monday.
Convicted murderer Leviticus Taylor and murder suspect Rondell Reed used makeshift dummies to trick the guard into thinking they were in their cell as part of their jailbreak, according to Sheriff Loar. Using towels, books, papers and other items, Taylor and Reed formed what the guard mistook for bodies under their sheets.
It is believed the jailbreak occurred around 12:42 a.m. given shadows seen on a security camera “molesting” a fence.
“It’s very hard to discern,” Sheriff Loar said.
As part of the escape scheme, Taylor initiated a face-to-face conversation with the guard at 12:30 a.m., according to the sheriff. He later said the conversation was thought to be a distraction to initiate the escape.
Bed-checks were conducted at 1:12 a.m., 2:04 a.m., 3:08 a.m., and again after 4:30 a.m.
Sheriff Loar said at 4:30 a.m. there was a nurse call for Reed, who is on medication. That was when it was discovered neither he nor Taylor were in his cell.
Along with releasing information about the dummies, Sheriff Loar said authorities are performing a grid search in an area west of the county jail – a mix of commercial and residential properties – trying to find items and clues pertaining to the jailbreak.
During interviews of Taylor, who was recaptured Monday evening, and two accused accomplices, authorities believe there may be more evidence to be found in that area. Items could include clothing that would have been hung on a clothesline, the sheriff said.
Other information released Monday morning included that of the two accused accomplices, Angela Pike and Sadie Welker.
Sheriff Loar said it is known the women were involved in some sort of disturbance in the City of Vero Beach around 2:30 a.m. Monday and, sometime after 3 a.m., they were stopped by authorities in Stuart for either a broken tag light or a seatbelt check. At that time, authorities noted an unidentified man in the vehicle – now believed to be Taylor.
Investigators are still working to determine if the women had helped Reed flee from the jail complex or if their involvement was only with Taylor.
Both Welker and Pike are being held at the county jail in lieu of $100,000 bond.
Taylor has been placed in solitary confinement under close supervision.
Sheriff Loar said the agency is still focused on apprehending Reed.
“Rondell Reed will be captured,” he said.
Anyone with information regarding Reed’s whereabouts is encouraged to call 911 and cautioned not to make contact with the murder suspect.
