Kevin Mason search updates Police hunt for murder suspect who was mistakenly released from jail

Publish date: 2024-05-07

Mason's reported girlfriend arrested

Marion County Sheriff Kerry Forestal said during a press conference Wednesday that a woman identified as Mason's girlfriend was detained on suspicion of assisting a criminal, per CNN.

When Mason was released from jail, he phoned her for a ride, and "we've been tracking that girlfriend since," Forestal said.

Officers attempted to speak with her, but "she has not cooperated," according to the sheriff.

According to prison records, the lady was still being detained early Thursday with no bond set.

There was no counsel or court date noted in the documents.

'This should not have happened'

According to James Martin, two inmate records clerks who were involved in Martin's release have been sacked, and an internal inquiry is underway.

“This was an error. This should not have happened. Mason should not have been released from our custody,” Martin said.

Circumstances of his release

Sheriff's Col. James Martin said that Mason was released when a Marion County sheriff's clerk mistakenly assumed she was correcting duplicate bookings for the convict and removed two holds from his file, per CNN's reports.

According to the colonel, the next day, a clerk in Minnesota released the last hold on Mason's file and did not spot the blunder that occurred the day before.

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