Twin Falls, Idaho – An escaped inmate, Skylar Meade, and his alleged accomplice, Nicholas Umphenour, members of a white supremacist gang, were apprehended on Thursday afternoon following a large-scale manhunt. Investigators are now probing whether the duo is responsible for two recent homicides while on the run.
Meade managed to flee from a medical facility in Boise early Wednesday morning after Umphenour allegedly opened fire on corrections officers escorting Meade back to prison. The suspects were eventually located in the Twin Falls area around 2 p.m. local time on Thursday, culminating in their separate arrests after a brief vehicle pursuit with no shots fired.
Idaho State Police Lieutenant Colonel Sheldon Kelley revealed that two homicides committed within the last day in Idaho are being looked into for potential links to the suspects. Both victims were males discovered in different counties – one in Nez Perce and one in Clearwater, according to a press release from the city of Boise.
During a press conference, Josh Tewalt, director of Idaho’s Department of Correction, highlighted the shared affiliation of Meade and Umphenour as documented members of the Aryan Knights white supremacist group. The two men had also resided in the same housing unit within the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, indicating common acquaintances both inside and outside of custody.
Tewalt emphasized that the escape was not necessarily sanctioned by the gang, and efforts are in place to monitor and prevent organized criminal activities within correctional facilities. The successful capture of the suspects was credited to public tips and the collaboration of multiple law enforcement agencies, as stated by the city of Boise in a press release.
Moreover, details emerged that Meade exhibited “self-injurious” behavior prior to his transfer for off-site care, while Umphenour’s attack on officers at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center led to the injury of correctional staff. Tewalt provided updates that one officer had been discharged from the hospital while two remained hospitalized but in stable condition, calling the incident a challenging experience for the corrections community.