Two Men Escaped from America's Most Dangerous Prison

[Music] two men dared to defy The Impossible they plotted they schemed and Against All Odds they escaped from the most brutal supermax in America but escaping this prison was just the beginning Beyond The Prison Walls lies the unforgiving Mississippi Delta where the sweltering heat and Relentless mosquitoes are as deadly as the guards and even if they survive that a dangerous cross-country Manhunt awaits poised to turn deadly at any moment can these prisoners slip through the cracks of a prison designed to be escape proof survive the Delta and outrun the law this is a story full

of Relentless determination unimaginable risks and a fight for Freedom that defies all expectations the Mississippi Delta stretching 200 mi from north to south with a width that spans 87 Mi at its widest point but within this vast expanse of marshy flood plane lies something far more Sinister the Mississippi State Penitentiary or as its more infamously known Parkman the oldest prison in Mississippi parkman's roots are deeply entwined with the dark history of the south in 1901 the state purchased what was once a farm a place where black men ins snared in an exploitative work program were

forced to build their own prison a prison that would soon become a living nightmare Parkman a name that sends chills down the spine is notorious for its Horrors prisoner murders suicides rusted pipes sewage leaks and infestations of rodents and insects it's a place where hope Goes To Die the prison spread over 18,000 Acres of former Farmland is known as the prison Without Walls the Delta itself is a natural prison a marshy heat ridden trap where the thick mud stops you in your tracks and mosquito large enough and could even eat a person alive within a

day for the 2,500 inmates within its boundaries Escape isn't just difficult it's nearly impossible the prison is fortified with layers of razor wire fencing armed guard towers and deadly automatic Firepower day and night and at the heart of this Fortress lies the most infamous of all supermax Unit 32 Unit 32 isn't just a prison it's a Relentless assault on human decency an unhygienic violent and diseased hellhole where nightmares are reality here rapes and stabbings are nightly occurrences and those with psychological problems only add to the chaos this unit houses the worst of the worst murderers

Psychopaths and high threat Escape brisks it's surrounded by a double fenced Kill Zone with guard towers given shoot to kill orders circling day and night the walls of Unit 32 are built to crush any thought of Escape precast concrete and half a million pounds of reinforced teal yet for One inmate the walls the guards the Kill Zone all of it was a dare he couldn't resist Roy Harper a man whose story reads like a Southern Gothic novel wasn't just a prisoner he was a thinker a genius a man with a detailed Keen mind who had

already broken out of an Arizona Prison in 1981 Harper was no ordinary inmate arrested for armed robbery in 1982 he was given the equivalent of a death sentence minus 88 years without parole after 8 years in maximum security when supermax Unit 32 opened its doors in 1990 Harper was one of the first to be thrown inside the reason his reputation as a high-risk escape artist from the moment Harper entered Unit 32 one thought consumed him Escape in 1993 he tried cutting his way out with a hacksaw blade but the prison's defenses held strong but he

got caught and as a result he was subjected to the worst types of torture by prison guards but despite all of that it only made Harper more Det determined and determined to escape the Delta was his enemy and the supermax window was his first challenge a window fortified with steel bars a cut prooof grate and a steel frame securing six panels of tempered glass but Harper was a man who learned from his mistakes he knew that he will need money tools and most importantly a plan in the Dark World of Parkman corruption was rampant with

40 bucks Harper bought himself hacksaw blades from a guard but to unscrew the bolts covering the window he needed something more a handle to get leverage all while avoiding the eyes of a guard just 20 ft away improvisation was Harper's specialty he broke off pieces of angled iron from a light fixture and with pencil sharpener blades crafted a makeshift wrench it worked Harper was making progress but in Unit 32 nothing is ever simple just when it seemed he was on track a new neighbor moved in a convicted murderer and escape artist by the name of

John woard woard was dangerous unpredictable and had a reputation even more notorious than Harper's with Ward next door everything Harper had worked for was at risk the guards would be on high alert a single misstep by woard could lead to a Shakedown of the entire tier including Harper cell but Harper wasn't just a thinker he was a strategist if he wanted to keep his his plan alive he realized that he needed to recruit woard and added to the plan yard time it was the only chance they had to speak without walls or bars between them

for prisoners in Unit 32 this single hour outside their cells could mean everything however Harper told woard everything and woard without any hesitation immediately agreed and from their plan began to take shape a two-man Escape team always in increases the risk more eyes more opportunities to be caught but Harper ever the strategist knew that the benefits outweighed the dangers if they made it outside another set of hands could be the difference between freedom and a swift return to the hell they were trying to leave behind every day they met in the yard each conversation meticulously

focused on their plan stage one get through the window stage two cross the prison yard and breach the outer fence stage three escape the Delta and leave Mississippi behind forever each stage required meticulous preparation and a fair amount of luck especially the part where they'd have to cross the yard their first Stroke of Luck was their cell placement on the first floor once Through the Windows the plan was to move along a strip of shadow that clung to the walls of sea block but the real challenge was Yet to Come minus 50 ft of exposed

yard under the the watchful eyes of guard towers and flood lights if they made it that far without being seen they would still have to face the Kill Zone a double razor wire fence cutting through it with hacksaws would be a gamble one where a single mistake could mean death Roy Harper was no stranger to breaking out of Prisons but even he had to admit that this time the stakes were higher than ever finding a weakness in Unit 32 had taken time weeks of careful observation testing and planning he knew the risks were astronomical but

Harper wasn't just any prisoner he was a man who calculated every move to make it through they would need more than just nerve supplies were essential Red Death Row jumpsuits were smuggled in chosen for their darker color which contrasted with the bright white stried uniforms of Unit 32 reducing visibility at night Harper ever resourceful concocted a dark cream to cover their faces mixing ash from burnt paper with faceline every detail was accounted for every possibility considered but even with all this preparation the Delta loomed large the toxic landscape was deadly with water laced with pesticides

making it undrinkable Harper always thinking ahead prepared makeshift backpacks from prison jackets filling them with bottles of clean water with everything in Place Harper and woard turned their attention back to the most immediate immediate obstacle the window woard had his hacksaw blades but it was Harper's makeshift wrench that would give them the leverage they needed but just as Harper was making progress he heard the voice of the director of Unit 32 making an unscheduled and unexpected inspection tour caught in the act Harper's heart pounded the window cover was off and the hacksaw was in his

hand he was a second away from being caught red-handed but Harper ever the quick thinker stepped up to the warden with a confident smile hoping to distract him long enough for the danger to pass sometimes luck favors the Bold the warden distracted by other rockus inmates moved on without noticing the missing window cover the next day they were back at it but Harper quickly realized they had hit another wall literally the window frame and its mechanism were made of reinforced cut prooof steel the hacksaws were useless against it this new setback was a blow but

Harper wasn't one to give up easily he searched for another way and soon he found it he found that the seam of the window box looked different like it might be made of a softer metal Harper tested his theory and to his relief the hacksaw cut through lifting the top of the box he accessed a control box that released the window lovers with this mechanism disengage they could removed the lovers without cutting through the steel frame stage one was finally complete they had conquered the super max window but they couldn't just crawl out in broad

daylight Harper came up with his own brand of spackle to cover the cut marks buying them time until they could make their move the night they had been waiting for arrived hot humid and filled with tension Harper and woard synchronized their escape down to the minute midnight the last cell check it was now or never they hung sheets over their cells changed into their death row jumpsuits and prepared dummies in their beds to fool the guards for as long as possible finally they tossed their supplies out the window and prepared to follow once outside their

first priority was to cover their tracks faces darkened with Harper's homemade cream they moved in sink creeping along the narrow shadow that hugged sea block they knew the greatest test was yet to come crossing the yard under the eyes of the guards between the interior fence and the outer fence was the Kill Zone here the rules were simple if you spotted you're shot no questions no warnings however Harper and Ward sawed through the chain link fence the guard Tower didn't see them they slipped into the Kill Zone cutting through the second fence when suddenly a

blinding light hit them caught in the headlights it seemed like like the end was near but in another twist of fate the patrol vehicle passed them by with one final push they cleared the second fence and found themselves outside unit 32 but their escape was far from over stage three awaited them getting out of the Delta and as far away from Mississippi as possible they had until dawn to disappear so they ran into the night as the darkness was their only Ally but in Parkman nothing is ever that simple at Daybreak Harper and Woolard were

already miles into the hot unforgiving Delta the Mississippi sun was beginning its Relentless climb turning the vast flat landscape into a glaring inescapable Spotlight they knew they were exposed vulnerable to any search party that might be on their Trail the Delta's flat expanse offered no cover and they were painfully aware of how easy it would be for anyone to spot two figures moving across the terrain desperation began to creep in they had to find shelter anything to break the line of sight and avoid detection as the sun's Rays intensified they spotted a dense Thicket a

rare patch of cover in the otherwise Barren landscap it wasn't much but it was their only option they burrowed into the thick foliage lying as still as possible praying that the Shadows would be enough to hide them from the Relentless gaze of the day back at unit at 32 the guards Were None the wiser the dummies Harper and woard had left behind had done their job well it wasn't until hours after Sunrise that anyone noticed something was a miss a routine breakfast delivery sparked the first suspicion Harper's tray untouched raised a red flag a guard

puzzled by this unusual behavior took a closer look and soon realized the horrifying truth Harper and woard were gone Panic set in as the alarm was raised the prison erupted into chaos as a team of Riot guards burst into Harper's cell only to find his decoy lying in the bed and a gaping hole where the window had been the breakout window told the whole story Harper and woard had slipped through the cracks of the seemingly impenetrable Unit 32 lockdown was immediate the Prison Walls echoed with the clamor of boots and the blaring of sirens Harper

and woard had gained a precious 12-hour head start a gift that few escapes ever received the race was on but they knew the Clock Was ticking the first 24 hours of any Escape were crucial most fugitives were caught within this window as authorities scrambled to contain the situation before it spiraled out of control the FBI was quickly notified electronic communications were sent to field offices across the country Harper and Ward were now fugitives at large and The Manhunt was was expanding far beyond Mississippi but even with their head start the Doom knew they were far

from safe exhausted and sleep deprived they slog through the thick muddy Delta the oppressive humidity made every step a struggle while swarms of mosquitoes descended on them Relentless in their assault the heat was stifling the air thick with the smell of Decay and stagnation they pushed forward knowing that stopping could mean capture or worse they tried to stay as still and quiet as possible using the cover of the dense vegetation to Shield themselves from pry and eyes but even in the relative safety of their hiding spot the Delta was an unforgiving enemy the mosquitoes were

enormous their bites turning every inch of Exposed Skin into a swollen itching mess it was like nature itself was conspiring against them then over the incessant buzzing of the mosquitoes they heard it voices distant but unmistakable a search party was nearby Harper and Ward froze their hearts pounding in their chests they knew that any sound any movement could give them away the minute stretched into what felt like hours as they waited listening intently for any sign that they had been discovered but luck it seemed was still on their side the voices eventually faded and the

search party moved on unaware of how close they had come for a week Harper and Ward remained hidden moving under the cover of Darkness surviving on the meager supplies they had brought with them every step was a calculated risk every decision a matter of life and death their Journey eventually LED them to the small town of web Mississippi a sleepy rural community where they could blend in if only for a short while they found a house on the outskirts isolated enough to offer them some privacy but close enough to town for what they needed Harper

and woard hunkered down watching the house waiting for the right moment to make their move it was Sunday church time the streets were quiet and the old couple who lived in the house had just left for the morning service Harper and Ward knew this was their chance they needed a car and this one would do just fine while they waited for the cou to return they raided the house their hunger driving them to the kitchen where they devoured anything they could find the fridge and cupboards were emptied as they stuffed themselves finally sading the gnawing

hunger that had been with them since their escape but it wasn't just food they found in the pantry they discovered something that could change the game entirely an arsenal of weapons pistols shotguns boxes of ammunition it was a treasure Trove of Firepower that made Harper and Ward feel Invincible they quickly armed themselves ready for whatever might come next when they heard the couple's car pull into the driveway they knew it was time Harper and Ward took up positions inside the house shotguns at the ready as the elderly couple walked towards the kitchen door oblivious to

the danger waiting for them Harper and Ward prepared to make their move the couple was in for the shock of their lives but Harper ever the strategist kept his cool he assured them they wouldn't be harmed if they cooperated all they wanted was the car terrified the couple replied handing over the keys without a struggle Harper and Ward tied them up to prevent them from raising the alarm too soon and then they were gone driving off in their newly acquired vehicle with a car and a change of clothes Harper and woard were finally free or

so they thought they had managed to do what most escapes couldn't survive the first day on the Run Mississippi was behind them and the open road stretched out ahead they just had to disappear slip into the vastness of the country and stay one step ahead of the law but their freedom was short-lived when the police rescued the elderly couple hours later they learned exactly what car Harper and woard were driving the hunt was on and the question now was where had they gone law enforcement across multiple States was alerted Harper and woard headed north making

their way through Arkansas with the goal of reaching West Virginia but Harper the smart guy as always knew they couldn't stay in the same vehicle for long the Chevy caas was now A Marked car and they needed to switch it out before they were caught they pulled into a motel parking lot their eyes scanning for a new Target and unsuspecting Patron oblivious to the danger became their next victim in a Flash they attacked stealing his van and driving off leaving no Trace behind but as they would soon find out luck has a way of of

running out Harper and Ward always thinking a step ahead knew their stolen Brown van was a ticking Time Bomb they needed to make it disappear with a few cans of blue paint and some stolen plates they transformed the vehicle into something unrecognizable hoping this quick disguise would throw off any Pursuit they turned their sights West heading into Indiana but what they couldn't disguise was Ward's impulsiveness a trait that was about to become their undoing speeding down the highway Ward's heavy foot on the gas caught the attention of an Indiana State Trooper it was a mistake

a stupid Reckless mistake for all their planning all their careful moves it was something as simple as a speeding ticket that put them back on law enforcement's radar officer Raymond Coleman sensing something off approached the van with caution but before he could even get close woard fired a shot the bullet missed its mark But The Recoil sent Ward reeling backward giving the officer just enough time to call for backup and just like that the chase was on Harper never want to go down without a fight leaned out the window and opened fire this was no

ordinary traffic stop it had escalated into a full-blown gun battle on the open road the stakes couldn't be higher they were both convicted violent felons now locked in a deadly Race Against Time and the law as the chase hurdled down the interstate officers deployed a spike strip a last ditch effort to bring the van to a halt the spikes did their job shredding the tires and sending the Vans getting off the road in a shower of Sparks it caremed into a truck stop tires blown and Harper and woard were suddenly cornered it was a standoff

the van now crippled became their Fortress Harper's quick thinking turned should have been their downfall into a temporary stronghold the clothing and Luggage they' packed into the van absorbed the officer's pistol rounds making it nearly impossible for the bullets to penetrate but they knew it wouldn't last time was running out during the chaos With Sirens wailing and officers closing in Harper and woard made their move they kicked open the van doors and in a hail of gunfire dashed into the night the officers caught off guard could only watches the two fugitives melted into the Shadows

disappearing into the Indiana Darkness for the next 2 days Harper and woard evaded capture slipping through the fingers of law enforcement at every turn the small towns of rural Indiana were on high alert the locals wary of every shadow every rustle in the bushes but Harper and woard desperate and determined knew they couldn't stay hidden forever Running on Empty both in supplies and in spirit they ventured out of the woods searching for food and water the Delta had been brutal but now the cold unfamiliar terrain of Indiana was proving to be just as brutish their

luck had carried them this far but as they trudged through the underbrush they both knew that luck could only last so long in the end the luck streak Runs Out emerging from the woods trying to blend into the Sleepy town of Street John Indiana they came face to face with an officer named turillo who was heading one of the patrols it was a chance encounter but in their line of work chance can be as deadly as a bullet turillo had never needed to draw his weapon in all his years on the force but as he

saw the two men approaching he knew these weren't just any fugitives they were the ones every cop in the midwest had been warned about dangerous armed and desperate he kept close to the cover of his car St standing with the door open ready for what might happen next the fugitives were only 5 ft from the front of the car when Turk R finally pulled his gun woard always the more impulsive of the two placed his hands on the hood eyes shifting between Harper and the officer Harper the strategist placed his hands on the front fender

considering his options calculating the odds but before turillo could secure them Ward made his move bolting without warning Harper saw it coming predicting the shift in Ward's stance his hand slipped off the fender as Ward dashed away but Harper knew better than to follow instead he stayed put surrendering to the inevitable on the other side 2 hours later after Ward's Escape he managed to hijack another van from a nearby car wash but unfortunately for him he crashed on the interstate his Reckless esap escape attempt ended in a Twisted wreck this time there was no running

woard was quickly cuffed and taken into custody his spree finally over as for Harper he was returned to Parkman but his story didn't end there the conditions in Unit 32 that had driven him to escape remained unchanged these conditions nodded him pushing him to fight not just for his survival but for the Dignity of every inmate trapped in Unit 32 by 2010 after years of legal battles and mounting pressure Unit 32 was finally closed condemned for its inhumane conditions Harper had become more than just an inmate he had become a symbol of resistance against a

broken system 6 years later Harper's first novel was published a reflection of his life his code and the choices he made today Roy Harper remains confined serving out his days in Colorado far from the Mississippi Delta far from the swampy Plains of Parkman