The convicted murderer, who was mistakenly released from a Georgia prison, was recaptured two weeks later by the US ex-season, more than 400 miles away in Florida, authorities said.
Kathan Guzman, 22, who is serving a life sentence for strangled his girlfriend, was arrested Friday morning after law enforcement officials discovered a fugitive hiding in the home of Okoye's mother, a former US service. He told ABC News.
“Today we tracked him down and took him into custody,” said Michael Sonetabilay, deputy commander of the agency's Florida/Caribbean Regional Flight Task Force.
Sonethavilay explained that their Atlanta division had “drew in” and found important information directed them towards Sunshine State where they would work with local officials to find Guzman.
Just five months after his term at the prison, Guzman was released from the Clayton County Jail in Jonesboro on March 27th, what Clayton County Sheriff Levon Allen called a failed training session and a prison guard who doesn't pay attention to the murderer's files.
He was given life sentence in October 2024 after admitting to murdering 19-year-old Delia Grayson, who died in a bathtub in August 2022. WSB-TV reported.
Allen said he released Guzman after reviewing court documents that showed a complaint that the guards would not indict Necrophilia's charges that were not tried, and he later said he was unable to find his murder and assault on a stranglehold conviction.
Clayton County District Attorney Tasha Mosley said her office was notified Tuesday afternoon that the murderer had been mistakenly released and prompted a massive manhunt.
“All the right documents have been sent to the right people,” Moseley said. He spoke to the Atlantea Journal Constitution.
“We're as disappointed and angry as everyone else.”
The prison error led to the victim's mother, Christina Grayson, living in fear of her safety and the masses' belongings. Grayson lives in Kissimmee – about 26 miles from where Guzman was captured; WSB reported.
Grayson told the outlet that she felt “in prison” while Guzman was in a loose state and looked over her shoulder in fear that he might pop up. Now that he has been detained, the shaken mother said she has been released.
“He's where he should be,” she said before questioning whether this was a one-off mistake.
She also accused the sheriff's office of not realizing that Guzman was accidentally released earlier.
Guzman told someone that while he enjoyed unintended freedom, his release was a result of higher power and that he believed “God is good,” Allen told the outlet.
An investigation into a prison accident is currently underway.
“The cause of his release is under investigation and disciplinary action is pending,” Allen said in a statement Friday, the ABC reported.
“Once the investigation is completed, employees within the Clayton County Sheriff's Office may be terminated.”
Jail records show that Guzman is in custody at the Orange County Jail as he is waiting for extradition.
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