RALEIGH, N,C, – The manhunt continues for an inmate who reportedly escaped through a ventilation system at a North Carolina jail last week.
The search for 37-year-old John Matthew Nigh began on Jan. 26, when authorities realized Nigh was missing from his cell at the Craven County Detention Facility in New Bern, according to the Craven County Sheriff’s Office. He has an extensive criminal history, including attempted murder of law enforcement and drug and weapons charges. At the time of his escape, he was being held on attempted murder charges, according to the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS).
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Authorities discovered that Nigh, with help from his two cellmates, was able to remove a ceiling grating, enter a utility ceiling case and then exit the roof through a ventilation housing. Officials said his bunkmates helped him cover up his escape by stuffing a mattress and making it appear that he was sleeping in his cell.
Nigh is stated to have been armed in past encounters with law enforcement officers and should be considered dangerous, the sheriff’s office said. He is described as 6 feet, 2 inches tall and approximately 190 pounds. He has the tattoo “JMN” on his upper left arm and a cross on his upper right arm.
A statewide ‘BOLO’ or ‘be on the lookout’ has been issued for the inmate to all law enforcement agencies in North Carolina. The USMS Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation are assisting in the search and have offered a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to Nigh’s arrest.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the USMS at 1-877-WANTED2 or send tips via the USMS Tips App.