Breaking News: Manhunt for Escaped Inmate in Orange County
Source: Radio One Digital / Radio One Digital
A manhunt is underway after a convicted murderer escaped custody on Tuesday morning while being transported to UNC Hospitals Hillsborough campus. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has identified the escaped inmate as 30-year-old Ramone Alston, who is serving a life sentence for the tragic killing of a 1-year-old on Christmas Day in 2015.
Alston managed to free himself from leg restraints while inside a North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (DAC) van just outside the hospital. According to DAC Communications Director Keith Acree, as officers began removing Alston from the vehicle, he broke away and fled into the nearby woods.
At the time of his escape, Alston was wearing a gray T-shirt, brown pants, and New Balance tennis shoes. Despite being handcuffed in front, he was able to evade capture. Authorities are urging the public not to approach him if spotted and to call 911 immediately.
Alston, who has ties to the local area, was convicted in 2019 for the fatal shooting of 1-year-old Maleah Williams in Chapel Hill. The heartbreaking incident occurred on Christmas Day in 2015 while Maleah’s mother was holding her daughter. Alston, along with another man, Pierre Je Bron Moore, took plea deals for the crime. Alston received a life sentence, while Moore was sentenced to 28 to 34 years.
Authorities are investigating whether Alston’s escape was premeditated. The search for him is ongoing, and law enforcement is on high alert as the community remains on edge.