Washington –
Sarah Pender was behind bars serving a 110-year
sentence before she escaped in August from the Rockville
Correctional Facility in Indiana. Today, she is the most wanted
woman in America after being added to the U.S. Marshals 15 Most
Wanted fugitive list.
Pender, 29, was convicted in 2002 on two
counts of murder. In 2000, Pender and her boyfriend purchased a
shotgun and returned to their residence where they shot their two
roommates. After killing the roommates, Pender and her boyfriend
disposed of the bodies in a trash dumpster.
While serving her sentence, prison
authorities believe Pender befriended a correctional officer, who
allegedly helped her escape. Prison security footage on the day she
escaped shows Pender walking toward a prison exit at the same time
the guard drove into the facility to get gasoline. Authorities
believe the guard hid her in the vehicle and drove her off the
prison grounds where she met up with her get-away driver.
“Sarah Pender is a dangerous fugitive
and poses a threat to anyone she comes in contact with,” said
Director John F. Clark of the United States Marshals Service.
“Pender’s addition as a 15 Most Wanted fugitive underscores our
commitment to use all of our available resources to bring her to
justice.”
The day after the escape, the Indiana
Department of Corrections asked the Southern Indiana U.S. Marshals
Task Force to take over the hunt for Pender. U.S. Marshals tracked
down the get-away driver, Jamie Long, and arrested her shortly after
the escape. Long was convicted in October and sentenced to seven
years for her role in the escape. The corrections officer accused of
aiding Pender’s escape is currently awaiting trial, facing charges
for assisting in an escape, a Class C felony and trafficking an
inmate, a class A misdemeanor.
Pender is a 29-year-old white female, with brown hair and blue eyes.
She is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds. She has two
distinguishing tattoos: a butterfly on her left breast and a blue
and red target figure on her right buttock.
A $25,000 reward is offered for
information leading directly to her arrest. If you have information
about Sarah Pender’s whereabouts, immediately contact your nearest
U.S. Marshals office or call the Marshals 24-hour hotline at
1-800-336-0102.
See Updated News Release
America’s Oldest Federal Law Enforcement Agency |