End of the road: 2 escaped Virginia prison inmates captured in Tennessee barn

(As originally published with more photos, Fri, January 27th 2023, 1:42 PM EST)

HAWKINS COUNTY, Tenn. (TND) — The two Virginia prisoners who escaped on Thursday were busted in a barn after about 27 hours on the loose.

Leads started coming early Friday morning when the stolen SUV linked to them was found in Hawkins County, Tenn. That’s more than an hour away from the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Abingdon, where they escaped Thursday afternoon. Authorities warned they may have been traveling in that stolen SUV.

Johnny Brown, 51 — who is from the area — and Albert Ricketson, 31, were caught about four miles from where the stolen SUV was found.

According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia, officers got the pair while they were hiding upstairs in the barn, and both were arrested without incident.

Hawkins County Sheriff Ronnie Lawson said the SUV was discovered between Rogersville and Bulls Gap at 7:30 a.m. Friday, and he put extra patrols in the area.

Brown, a federal prisoner, will be held in Washington County Tennessee Jail.

Ricketson, a double murderer, will be held in Hawkins County Jail.

Neither will be offered bond.