NELSONVILLE, OH (WCMH) –Police continue to search for escaped murderer John Modie.
Earlier police received a tip that Modie may have been in a Jeep Grand Cherokee with two women, but after investigating, determined the tip not to be a credible lead.
According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Modie was missing from the facility during the 11pm count on Sunday.
Prison officials along with local police are now searching for Modie. Modie is described as a white male, 58-years-old, approximately 6’4″ and 230lbs. He has gray hair, a grey mustache and was last seen wearing a blue hoodie, grey sweatshirt and blue pants. Deputies say Modie likely has lacerations from razor wire.
Search for escaped prisoner in Nelsonville
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What law enforcement sources described as a credible sighting came shortly before 6am Monday morning about three miles from the prison. A couple of motorists on route 685 in the village of Buchtel say they saw a man fitting Modie’s description on the side of the road. Buchtel Police Chief Jeremy Sharp says troopers swarmed the area. “There’s a lot of troopers in the area keeping the roads hot and heavy so it’s going to be hard for him to get out of here if he’s still in the area,” Sharp said.
Sharp said local police are assisting in the search. “We’ve checked our unoccupied structures in the village to see if anybody is there – found no one and that’s about all we can do at this point,” Sharp said.
Modie is serving a 15-years to life sentence for the October 2003 murder of 26-year-old Ucianna Ortiz. Investigators determined Modie had killed the woman at his home in Cleveland before dumping her body off of I-90. He was arrested several days later in Texas driving a BMW stolen from another victim in Cuyahoga County.
Modie was originally convicted of murder, robbery and escape in Cuyahoga County, but police say he has family ties to Washington County. Police are asking for public assistance by reporting anything suspicious to law enforcement.
According to the facility’s website, the Hocking Unit houses approximately 450 older offenders. It is a minimum and medium security facility.