Local News in Brief : Escaped Killer Captured
A convicted murderer who’s been five days on the run from a California prison was captured early Friday near Oklahoma City, authorities said.
Vincent Van Motely, 27, who escaped Monday from the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi, was captured without incident, Lt. Jim Gamboa said. Motely was serving a sentence of 27 years to life for the May 14, 1979, kidnap and execution-style slaying of his neighbor, Robert Engen, a copy editor at the Pasadena Star-News.
Motely called the prison Tuesday to boast about his escape.
“He said he was in Kingman, Ariz.,” Gamboa said. “He said that no other person was involved in helping him escape, and it took him about four months to plan the escape.”
Prison officials were unsuccessful in their attempts to convince Motely to surrender Tuesday.
Details about Motely’s arrest were not immediately available.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
