An inmate managed to escape from jail in North Carolina this week after crawling through a ventilation shaft.
John Matthew Nigh, 37, is currently on the run following his escape from the Craven County Jail on Sunday, January 26. He had been arrested earlier that day at a residence in Hubert, which is located about two hours southeast of Raleigh. Nigh was wanted for charges in Pamlico County.
When authorities arrived at the home to apprehend him, Nigh fled into the nearby woods and fired shots at three deputies. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and he was soon taken into custody.
However, by late afternoon on the same day, prison officials discovered that Nigh was missing from his cell. It appears he removed a ceiling grate and accessed the roof through the jail’s ventilation system to make his escape.
In connection with Nigh’s escape, two of his cellmates, 32-year-old Justin Matthew Axe and 35-year-old Timothy Lee Carawan, were also arrested. They allegedly aided Nigh by placing a mattress in his bed to make it look like he was still sleeping.
Both Axe and Carawan face charges for helping Nigh escape, and they are being held on $100,000 bonds.
As of now, Nigh remains at large. Authorities describe him as a White male, approximately 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing around 190 pounds. He has a tattoo reading “JMN” on his upper left arm and a cross tattoo on his upper right arm.
Law enforcement officials consider Nigh dangerous due to previous encounters where he was armed. Before his escape, he had five court dates scheduled to address 30 charges, including attempted murder and assault on a law enforcement officer.
Anyone who may have information about John Matthew Nigh’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Craven County Sheriff’s Office or their local authorities.
