Convicted murderer who cut off monitoring device is back in custody
Sep 26, 2018, 9:25 PM | Updated: Sep 27, 2018, 3:10 pm
(Arizona Department of Corrections Photo)
(Arizona Department of Corrections Photo)
PHOENIX — A convicted murderer who was at large after cutting his monitoring device while on house arrest in Mesa was taken into custody in Phoenix on Wednesday evening, ending a three-day manhunt.
Naomis A. Winfrey was apprehended by members of the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force around 7 p.m.
On Monday, Winfrey fled after cutting off his GPS device. His last known location had been in the area of Price and Broadway roads in Tempe.
The Arizona Department of Corrections’ Fugitive Apprehension Unit and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force worked together to locate him.
U.S. Marshals said they were able to track him to an apartment near Glenrosa and 23rd avenues and saw him getting into a vehicle with a woman.
They stopped the vehicle on the northbound Interstate 17 access road at Highland Avenue and took Winfrey into custody without incident.
In 1993, Winfrey was convicted of first-degree murder, second-burglary and theft in a Pima County court and sentenced to 25 years to life.
He was paroled by the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency this year and began serving home arrest in Mesa on July 30.
He will likely face new criminal charges and additional prison time after his attempted escape, according to the Arizona Department of Corrections.
