Georgia Jail Escape: Murder Suspects Sought in Widespread Manhunt (Feb 2026)

Manhunt Underway for Two Georgia Murder Suspects Who Escaped Sumter County Jail

Authorities in Georgia are continuing a widespread search for two inmates who escaped from the Sumter County Jail on Sunday, February 8th, at approximately 9:30 p.m. Local time. Rickey Martin, 20, and Kentravious Holmes, 21, were in custody facing multiple charges, including murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery.

The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office released a “be on the lookout” (BOLO) alert on Monday, February 9th, requesting public assistance in locating the two men. The jail is located in Americus, Georgia, approximately 139 miles south of Atlanta.

Sheriff Eric Bryant told local television station WALB that investigators are “still following up on different things that we’re finding inside the building,” and indicated that a “mechanical failure with the locking system” may have contributed to the escape.

Albany Police Chief Michael Persley stated during a news conference on Monday that the inmates were spotted in a stolen vehicle by license plate cameras. Persley also noted that one of the inmates has family and potential contacts in Albany, Georgia, which is about 38 miles south of Americus.

Authorities are asking anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Martin or Holmes to contact 911 or the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office directly at 229-924-4094.

Rickey Martin is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 120 pounds. He is a Black male with un-twisted dreads. He was arrested in February 2025 and charged with murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery in connection with a shooting in Americus that resulted in the deaths of a 5-year-old girl, Peyton Brielle Roberts, and a 19-year-old, Jotavis Roshon Leverette. Two other individuals were also injured in the shooting.

Kentravious Holmes is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 155 pounds. He is a Black male with un-twisted dreads and multiple tattoos on his face and neck, including a “$” sign, a broken heart, and the name “Baby Kay” over his right eye. Holmes was arrested in May 2025 and accused of fatally shooting 21-year-old Amon Kevone Harvey in April 2025.

This escape is the latest in a series of recent jailbreaks across the United States. In December, three inmates escaped from a county jail east of Atlanta, and were captured approximately a day later. Also in December, an inmate in Georgia escaped from a hospital and used ride-hailing services, including Uber, to evade authorities before being recaptured. In Louisiana, three inmates escaped a jail in early December by removing mortar and concrete blocks from a degraded wall, and were later apprehended. Earlier in the year, a former Arkansas police chief convicted of murder and rape escaped from prison disguised as a guard, but was recaptured after a 12-day manhunt. Ten inmates also escaped from a New Orleans jail in May, with most being recaptured in the weeks following, and several individuals charged with aiding their escape.