Suspect accused of murdering lottery winner escapes from Georgia prison

Jun 9, 2016, 12:55 pm (18 comments)

Georgia Lottery

One of the people charged with murdering a Georgia Lottery winner has escaped from a south Georgia prison, authorities say.

Earnest Anthony Holcomb, 28, got away from the Ben Hill County facility about 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, Sheriff Bobby McLemore said. Holcomb was in the exercise yard when he made it onto the roof and slipped out of his jumpsuit before running away.

Authorities still don't know how Holcomb escaped, since there are 40 cameras in the area, McLemore said.

Holcomb and six others were charged in connection with the January shooting death of Craigory Burch, who won $434,000 in a Fantasy Five jackpot. (See 7 arrested in Georgia Lottery winner's murder, Lottery Post, Mar. 29, 2016.)

Holcomb and others broke into Burch's home in Fitzgerald, Ga., demanded cash and shot him to death, investigators said. Burch's girlfriend said the victim pleaded with his killers not to shoot him in front of "my kids and old lady." (See Georgia Lottery winner killed during home invasion, Lottery Post, Jan. 21, 2016.)

All the suspects were charged with malice murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

At least 30 deputies, U.S. marshals and officials from other agencies are involved in the search for Holcomb, McLemore said.

Holcomb is 5-foot-9 and weighs about 150 pounds, McLemore said. Anyone with information about his whereabouts can call the Ben Hill County Sheriff's Office or 911.

Ben Hill County is roughly 90 miles southeast of Macon.

News story photo(Click to display full-size in gallery)

AJC, Lottery Post Staff

Comments

LiveInGreenBay's avatarLiveInGreenBay

Do society a favor...SHOOT TO KILL!

music*'s avatarmusic*

 I bet that he will be caught soon. He only needs to make one small mistake and then he is done.

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by music* on Jun 9, 2016

 I bet that he will be caught soon. He only needs to make one small mistake and then he is done.

Patriot....And one mistake he will make. Here's a choice the authorities could make to this guy when captured: Rikers Island or Pelican bay- choose wisely!

gocart1's avatargocart1

Quote: Originally posted by LiveInGreenBay on Jun 9, 2016

Do society a favor...SHOOT TO KILL!

I Agree!                   PartyUS FlagParty

Bleudog101

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Jun 9, 2016

Patriot....And one mistake he will make. Here's a choice the authorities could make to this guy when captured: Rikers Island or Pelican bay- choose wisely!

I thought Riker's Island was for NY Criminals; always that way on Law & Order SVU!  Maybe he'll get caught buying lottery tickets.  First thing to go would be that awful stick out like a sore thumb hairdo.

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

Wow, agile opportunist Earnest Anthony Holcomb looks like he would be willing to chew/eat a person to death! Eek

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by Bleudog101 on Jun 9, 2016

I thought Riker's Island was for NY Criminals; always that way on Law & Order SVU!  Maybe he'll get caught buying lottery tickets.  First thing to go would be that awful stick out like a sore thumb hairdo.

True BD- was just kidding...since both facilities are on each coast, l thought this guy could get to make his own call as to where he would like to park his butt for a couple years. Pelican Bay out here in California is a Supermax prison and it's brutal. 

Bleudog101

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Jun 9, 2016

True BD- was just kidding...since both facilities are on each coast, l thought this guy could get to make his own call as to where he would like to park his butt for a couple years. Pelican Bay out here in California is a Supermax prison and it's brutal. 

Thanks for enlightening me and other LP bloggers.   Was thinking Pelican Island was in GA.  With his face plastered all over the place he'll be caught soon.  Maybe not alive but out of our way.

Kingofearth's avatarKingofearth

Quote: Originally posted by Bleudog101 on Jun 9, 2016

I thought Riker's Island was for NY Criminals; always that way on Law & Order SVU!  Maybe he'll get caught buying lottery tickets.  First thing to go would be that awful stick out like a sore thumb hairdo.

NYC is extremely crowded, there's no room for any jail let alone the amount they would need. So they took a small uninhabited island and built jails on it.

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Surveillance Cameras are only as good as the People Watching Them!

mypiemaster's avatarmypiemaster

Inside job?.

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Quote: Originally posted by mypiemaster on Jun 9, 2016

Inside job?.

Maybe! Further Investigation into the Escape may Reveal the Truth!

Teddi's avatarTeddi

Something is weird about Georgia jails/prisons. About once per year, someone escapes, which is bad enough. But the people doing the escaping aren't criminal masterminds. They're usually uneducated morons, yet they keep circumventing the security measures. The year of Snowmaggedon, some idiot escaped, then a few days later turned himself in. Why? Because he didn't realize how cold it was and wanted to get back into the prison for warmth. This one will probably go back for some AC.

Chris$'s avatarChris$

Quote: Originally posted by LiveInGreenBay on Jun 9, 2016

Do society a favor...SHOOT TO KILL!

maybe he will.break into the wrong house and 

someone will show him what's it's like plead for HIS 

life.... piece of shi !

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