Wildest Prison Escapes That Sound Like Movie Plots

Prison escapes are a lot more common than you'd think. They just don't always make headlines. According to CBS News data, in 26 states, there have been 1,100 documented escapes from law enforcement in just five years. Not all of these were escapes from jail cells or prison, but still. That's a big number and doesn't even include the remaining 24 states.

Prison escapes are nothing new, but if we tried to list them all, we'd be here forever. So, instead, we've chosen some of the wildest and strangest prison escapes. Some were successful, while others only delayed trials for a little while.

For this slideshow, we used sources like CBS News, Business Insider, and Time Magazine. Click through the slideshow for the wildest prison escapes that could be movie plots.

Starting our list of the wildest prison breaks, we have a relatively tame one that is still super shocking. Edward Edwards, a serial killer convicted of 5 murders (although it's suspected there are at least 10 more victims), managed to escape prison and the police twice. In one instance, all he did was push the guard out of the way. Although his crimes took place during the 1980s and '90s, he wasn't arrested until 2009.

Probably one of the most well-known prison escapes was the June 1962 Alcatraz escape. During this escape, Frank Morris, Clarence Anglin, and John Anglin. Using a spoon, the three managed to dig and hide a tunnel, escaping the prison with a raft. Honestly, this escape needs its own article. The three did a lot of careful planning to make it happen, including creating papier-mâché-like dummy heads. The three were never found again.

Ted Bundy also planned an escape. On June 7, 1977, he jumped out of the second story of a building, evading the guards. He then went into Aspen Mountain and broke into a hunting cabin, stealing resources for his full escape. Six days later, he was found by police.

This was actually only his first escape. Later the same year, he escaped from prison again on December 30 through a small crawlspace. It took the guards 17 hours to notice he was gone.

Escaping prison is no easy feat, so imagine doing so in a helicopter. In France 1986, Michel Vaujour managed to escape prison as his wife flew him out in a helicopter. The escape didn't last long as Michel was shot and recaptured.

It's shocking to learn about prison escapes, especially when they evade police for months, if not years. In 1994, Arthur Rudy Martinez managed to escape prison and stay clear of the authorities for two decades after serving time. However, in 2014, he turned himself in as he was suffering from cancer and wanted free healthcare. He died two months later. Five years after his death, his DNA was linked to two murders in the 1970s.

In 1995, inmates in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India, worked together to escape. They dug a 153-foot-long tunnel where 43 inmates escaped. Just a few weeks later, 21 of the escapees were found.

Not all escapes are successful, but they are still wild. This includes the escape of the Texas 7 on December 13, 2000. They escaped from the John B. Connally Unit by overpowering guards and prison workers. They stole their clothes and weapons, leaving in a prison truck. Six of the seven were captured about a month later. The last escapee, Larry James Harper, killed himself before he could be captured.

When there is a will, there is a way. No space is too small for some inmates to try to escape through. On August 24, 2008, eight inmates charged with violent crimes escaped Curry County Adult Detention Center. They did so by climbing prison pipes in a small space and cutting a hole in the roof with whatever materials they could find. All eight were recaptured.

Some people will do anything for love, including breaking their significant other out of jail. In 2012, Darnell Keith Washington, while awaiting trial, escaped with the help of his wife. He scaled a 10-foot-high fence and jumped. During his time out, he went on a crime spree with his wife, Tania Washington. In this crime spree, he killed Susie Ko in her home and shot Deputy John Marquez, who ultimately survived.

Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán is a former drug lord who has escaped prison/the authorities twice. The most well-known attempt was on July 11, 2015. During this day, he escaped in a tunnel from the shower area where materials, including an old motorcycle, sat.

Last but not least is one of the more recent, viral escapes. Casey White was awaiting trial in a capital murder case when he escaped on April 29, 2022, with the help of corrections officer Vicky White. The two had a romantic relationship, which is why she helped him escape. They didn't get too far, though, as Casey was caught on May 9, 2022. Vicky killed herself before she could get caught.