Although law enforcement officials still don’t know where prison escapee Bradley "Hurtie" Maxwell is hiding, they do now know how he made his break from St. Croix’s Golden Grove Correctional Facility.
Maxwell, who was reported missing Monday from the prison, used a hacksaw blade to cut through the bars on his cell, according to V.I. Attorney General Iver Stridiron, who oversees the Bureau of Corrections.
"We were able to determine that Mr. Maxwell got hold of a hacksaw blade and over a period of time cut the bars of his cell," said Stridiron, adding that Maxwell probably escaped late Sunday night or early Monday. Stridiron said that because of short staffing at Golden Grove, there probably were too few corrections officers on duty at the time of the escape.
An investigation is under way to determine whether Maxwell obtained the saw blade through negligence on the part of prison staffers or whether it was given to him.
"We’re very concerned that he was able to get ahold of a hacksaw blade," Stridiron said. "We’re looking at every single aspect with an eye toward preventing it in the future."
Maxwell, 22, is serving 30 years for murdering a St. Thomas bar owner in 1997 and an additional five years for escaping the Sub Base Jail Annex on St. Thomas. He is a black male, 5-feet, 10-inches tall, weighs 175 pounds and wears his hair in short, twisted locks, said St. Croix Deputy Police Chief Novelle Francis. He is considered dangerous.
Maxwell eluded law enforcement for several weeks following his escape on St. Thomas two years ago after shaving his locks.
On Monday, Stridiron said Maxwell’s lack of familiarity with St. Croix would make it difficult to remain free for long. However, Maxwell reportedly spent a lot of time on the island as a youth, where he racked up a juvenile record.
The prison is being expanded to accommodate the return of 90 Virgin Islands prisoners being held in federal prisons on the mainland, and the expansion will include a new high-security wing. Currently, the facility doesn’t have a maximum security section – where Maxwell should have been kept – in the "traditional sense," Stridiron said.
To accommodate the incoming prisoners, the BOC must hire another 35 guards, Stridiron said.
Francis said police have received several calls reporting the possible sighting of Maxwell. He urged residents who think they have spotted him to call 911, 778-2211 or 778-0400 immediately.
