A prison inmate escaped a Louisiana jail on Thursday, July 27, and kidnapped and killed the daughter of an assistant warden there, KSLA reports.
Authorities said that inmate Deltra Henderson, 39, kidnapped Amanda Leigh Carney, 19, the stepdaughter of an assistant warden who lived on prison property with her parents.
The manhunt for Henderson began shortly before 2 p.m., following Henderson’s escape from the David Wade Correctional Center. Henderson crashed a stolen car in a remote area north of the prison. Carney’s body was later discovered there.
The fugitive then came into contact with a local resident and stole another car, crashing it as well.
Henderson then entered a nearby home and found a gun. When prison guards surrounded the home, the escapee opened fire and barricaded himself inside.
A gunfight ensued in which Henderson was wounded and he died of his injury.
“Authorities worked to capture Henderson peacefully, but he fired shots at officers and they returned fire,” according to a statement released by police late Thursday.
A special team of counselors was brought into the town to help staff, relatives, and offenders deal with the stress of the tragedy.
Carney was loved by the locals who were shocked to learn of her murder.
“There’s no words to express the sorrow in our hearts today,” said Principal Shane Lee from Summerfield High School where Carney graduated in May.
“We lost one of our own. A young lady that we cherish. A lady that excelled in academics, athletics, and was a true role model to fellow classmates.
Henderson was serving a 24-year term for attempted armed robbery, aggravated burglary, and cocaine distribution.
He had been in prison since 2001 and was due to get out in 2025.
Prison staff listed Henderson as a trusty, an inmate given special privileges as a trustworthy person.
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