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Escaped inmate captured in Covington
Escaped Rockdale County inmate Timothy Shane was captured on Wednesday morning in Covington. A man was reported earlier for knocking on doors in the area. Newton County issued a warning to residents. This is a breaking news report. Marc Teichner reporting.
ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. - A three-day manhunt for escaped inmate Timothy Shane ended early Wednesday morning after deputies captured him in a Newton County neighborhood where residents reported he was knocking on doors seeking entry, authorities said.
What we know:
According to Covington police, officers were dispatched around 6 p.m. Tuesday to a report of a suspicious person on Pennington Street. A caller told police that a male matching Shane’s description was walking in the area wearing a gray hoodie. Officers conducted an extensive search in the area but found no additional sightings.
At approximately 1 a.m. Wednesday, a homeowner on Green Acres Court reported that the escaped inmate had been banging on her door before running away. The homeowner provided Ring camera footage that clearly showed the suspect’s clothing. Officers heavily patrolled the area for about an hour before expanding the search perimeter.
Sgt. Joyner contacted Rockdale County CID units and sent them the video for identification. An investigator confirmed the individual in the footage was Shane, and multiple units from Rockdale responded to assist. Rockdale deployed its K-9 team, which began tracking in the wooded area toward Covington South.
A short time later, a homeowner on Ford Street reported that Shane had knocked on their door before heading toward Sterling Lakes. They also said the suspect’s clothing appeared to be soaking wet. Additional sightings were reported in the Thrash Street area, but K-9 units did not locate Shane.
Rockdale and Covington then redeployed their K-9 team, which led officers to an abandoned residence in the 9100 block of Morris Drive. Officers found a broken rear window and waited for additional units before clearing the home. Shane was found inside and taken into custody without incident. He was turned over to Rockdale authorities at the scene.
One woman who lives nearby told Good Day Atlanta that a man she believed to be the inmate knocked on her door around 2:50 a.m., claiming he was lost. She chose not to open the door and instead called 911, prompting deputies to swarm the neighborhood. The sheriff's office has not confirmed that the man seen in the video is Timothy Shane.
The backstory:
Shane escaped from Grady Memorial Hospital on Monday morning, Dec. 1, while in custody. Investigators say he stole two vehicles during his escape, including one in downtown Atlanta that contained a gun. Authorities had been warning the public that he was armed and dangerous.
He was later seen at a Publix in Henry County, where he allegedly ditched one of the stolen cars before taking an Uber to a home in Rockdale County. Despite several early leads, investigators said the trail had gone cold until he resurfaced overnight in Newton County.
According to a Conyers Police Department case report, Shane was arrested on Nov. 23 following a high-speed chase that began on Highway 138 and ended in a PIT maneuver in a residential neighborhood. Officers said they initially spotted a white 2021 Volvo XC90 tied to a possible kidnapping and later learned that a woman inside the vehicle had quietly alerted a convenience store clerk for help.
During the pursuit, police reported that Shane reached speeds of up to 128 mph before losing control and fleeing into a wooded area. He was taken into custody after being subdued with a Taser. A search of the vehicle uncovered a loaded .40-caliber handgun, marijuana, and methamphetamine.
The alleged kidnapping victim told officers Shane had abducted her from her Covington home earlier that day, demanded money, and forced her to attempt ATM withdrawals. She also stated Shane was armed throughout the day and ordered her to wipe fingerprints from the gun.
Shane was booked into the Rockdale County Jail and faced multiple charges, including felony fleeing, reckless driving, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and weapons violations. Newton County investigators also opened a separate kidnapping case connected to the same incident.
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