Prisoner escapes Union County jail, he and accomplice captured

A prisoner escaped the Union County jail sometime Friday evening, Sept. 4, and was recaptured late Monday night.

Richard Willis is an inmate of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (DOC). He was incarcerated on felony convictions of burglary and methamphetamine drug violations.

He was in Union County as a “trusty” under the DOC’s joint county/state work program. State inmates in the trustee program are housed in a separate facility at the Union County jail.

According to Union County Sheriff Jimmy Edwards, Willis appeared to have cut his way “under the fence” and left the jail campus.

Tema Tutor, a female friend of Willis, apparently aided his escape.

Sheriff Edwards said DOC and other law enforcement agencies were informed Willis had escaped the jail.

Willis was recaptured at about 11 p.m. Monday night, Sept. 7, in Pope, Mississippi, a village of about 240 people in southern Panola County. He was re-captured through the efforts of the U.S. Marshall Criminal Apprehension Service with assistance from the Mississippi Highway Patrol and DOC. He is now in DOC custody.

Tema Tutor has been arrested and charged with helping Willis escape. She was also arrested on methamphetamine charges. Tutor has been returned to Union County for prosecution on those charges.