Tommy Boyd: Escaped child sex offender serving 30 years in prison recaptured after posing for a selfie while on the run
LOUIS COUNTY, MISSOURI: The "dangerous" convicted sexual predator who escaped custody while serving a 30-year sentence for statutory sodomy has been recaptured not before posing for a selfie on the run.
Tommy Boyd, 45, was reported missing after walking out of the Mercy Hospital in Louis County where he was taken for treatment from Potosi Correctional Facility on Wednesday, September, 20.
How was Tommy Boyd recaptured?
St Louis County Police Department said Tommy Boyd was located and taken into custody without incident in the 7300 block of Watson Road, Fox News reports.
"This arrest was the culmination of local, state and federal law enforcement collaborating to keep our public safe," the report added.
"Thank you to the media and our community who provided numerous tips to assist in locating this dangerous felon," the statement added.
Tommy Boyd was located and taken into custody without incident in the 7300 hundred block of Watson Road a short time ago. St. Louis County Police Department’s Special Response Unit was following up on leads when they located Boyd and took him into custody.
— St. Louis County PD (@stlcountypd) September 22, 2023
This arrest was the… https://t.co/fi5Rw3XsXc
Did Tommy Boyd pose for a selfie while on the run?
Louis County Police Department posted a new photograph of him while the searches were on. In the photo, Tommy Boyd was seen next to a woman who took a selfie with him.
Prior to this, pictures of surveillance footage that showed him walking out of the hospital were posted for help in the searches.
"We have an updated photo of Tommy Boyd believed to have been taken this morning.
"He escaped from custody at around 4.30 am. Please share. Call 911 if you’ve seen him," police tweeted.
NEW PHOTO: We have an updated photo of Tommy Boyd believed to have been taken this morning. He escaped from custody around 4:30am. Please share. Call 911 if you’ve seen him. pic.twitter.com/a01qlDdpF6
— St. Louis County PD (@stlcountypd) September 21, 2023
Sgt Tracy Panus, as per River Front Times, said the photo was posted on social media.
If you look at it closely, the image appears to actually be a photo of a photo — as evidenced by the reflection of a third party’s fingers and face in the screen, the outlet noted.
Who was the woman who took a selfie with Tommy Boyd?
The police have not yet revealed the identity of the woman who took a selfie with Boyd. Panus said, "There was a female and we're taking care of that with the investigation."
When pressed for the identity he said, "Maybe we can release that down the road."
Soon after his escape, Lindbergh Schools went under lockdown on Thursday "out of an abundance of caution."
The police did not reveal how Boyd was able to freely walk away from the hospital. The hospital in a reported statement earlier had revealed that Boyd was being guarded by two security personnel in the hospital.