2 inmates escape from a South Georgia jail

Two inmates facing charges that include murder escaped from a Georgia jail Sunday night.

Ricky Martin, 20, and Kentravious Holmes, 21, were detained at the Sumter County Jail in Americus, Georgia, approximately 139 miles (234 km) south of Atlanta. They were in custody for charges including murder, aggravated assault and aggravated battery, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s office.

Sheriff Eric Bryant said it appears the inmates escaped through a maintenance door on the ceiling of the building that wasn’t locked properly and led them through the HVAC to get outside. He said officers are still trying to figure out where they escaped to, but they’ve spoken with the families of both inmates.

They escaped at around 9:30 p.m. Sunday night.

Three inmates, including a murder suspect, escaped from a jail east of Atlanta in December. They attacked a Lyft driver, shoving her in the backseat and drove her car to south Florida before they were captured, according to court records.

Four men escaped a central Georgia jail in 2023.

In October, authorities found the last Louisiana inmate in an Atlanta home after a high profile monthlong search for a group of men who broke out of a New Orleans jail in May,