State, federal police searching for Metro Corrections escapee in southern Indiana

SCOTT COUNTY, Ind. (WAVE) - U.S. Marshals said federal and Indiana state law enforcement officers are hot on the trail of Anthony Martinez, and they are confident they will catch him soon.

“A desperate man can run pretty fast through the bushes and the briers and he did,” U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Indiana Dan McClain said.

McClain said they received credible information Thursday about where Martinez was. They started searching for him around noon Thursday.

McClain said the information led them to where he was hiding in the woods in Scott County, Indiana, which was not far from where some family members of Martinez live.

“We were able to get within 25 yards of him at one point,” McClain said.

Authorities believe Martinez camped in the woods overnight, and state and federal police chased after him in the area. Martinez managed to get away Thursday for the second time in two weeks.

“He was able to get away from us in the thick brush,” McClain said. “It was very thick in some of these areas. We have a place over here that’s a former junkyard and there’s a bunch of obstacles and things of that nature.”

On September 29th, LMDC officials say Martinez escaped from their custody by “breaching an exterior window” with a fire hose handling from the window. He was arrested back in February on several robbery charges.

“Like I said, we have some good information where to find him and we were able to do that, but now he’s moving," McClain said. "He’s on the move and so we don’t know where he’s going to land tonight. We don’t know exactly what his destination is for tomorrow.”

According to McClain, Martinez was last seen wearing all black, carrying a black backpack.

(Story continues below photo)

“We’ll get ahold of him and I would encourage him if he is by chance listening, surrender. Makes this easy for everybody because we will get him sooner or later," McClain said.

Martinez is considered armed and dangerous. If you see him, McClain said do not approach him and call police immediately.

Clark County Sheriff’s Office deputies, FBI agents, Indiana State Police officers, and U.S. Marshals are working together to find Martinez. McClain said they are continuing patrols Thursday night and will keep searching for him Friday if he isn’t found overnight.

Copyright 2020 WAVE 3 News. All rights reserved.