Who is Kevin Mason? Cops reveal alleged murderer who was released over clerical mistake is back in prison
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Kevin Mason, a prisoner in Indianapolis who was mistakenly released from jail and has been arrested again. The Minnesota Police Department had been searching for the 28-year-old since September 13, 2023.
According to a press release by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the murder accused was arrested from Saint Paul, Minnesota, by the US Marshals Service around noon.
“I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and congratulations to the USMS for concluding this manhunt and safely bringing Mason back into custody,” said Marion County Sheriff Kerry J Forestal.
“Our federal partners have kept us informed throughout the entire process. We are truly thankful for their assistance and wide resources — most specifically, their task force partnerships with local law enforcement agencies that have allowed them to pursue Kevin Mason throughout the country,” the authorities added in the release.
Who is Desiree Oliver?
Now, Mason's girlfriend Desiree Oliver, 29, has also been arrested on a charge of assisting a criminal for helping him. Her arrest affidavit revealed what happened after he got out.
They let you out?” a shocked Oliver asked Mason, according to the affidavit. The two communicated mostly through the phone application Telegram.
"Is anyone following you? Is there a tracker on your car? Is your phone in your name?" Oliver asked.
Mason has been currently charged with second-degree murder for a shooting in June 2021 in the parking lot of the Shiloh Temple in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The victim of that shooting was Dontevius Ahmad Catchings, as per the Minneapolis Police Department's earlier statement.
Marion County Sheriff Kerry J Forestal previously said Oliver’s actions are the “kind of the disgusting type of behavior you expect when you’re assisting a criminal.”
Clerks responsible for the error were fired
The officer added that they began "tracking" Oliver since they learned of Mason’s accidental release but haven’t seen her together. They also kept an eye on a few homes where Mason was likely to visit after his accidental release, the sheriff said.
The authorities in Ramsey County, Minnesota, waived extradition which led to Mason's release, reports Law&Crime. “This was an error,” Col. James Martin said, adding, “This should not have happened.”
The two court clerks responsible for the mistake were immediately let go. The sheriff’s office further shared that the accidental release was not revealed to the public until six days later so that it could be used as a "tactical advantage" to capture Mason again and prevent him from hiding, NBC News reported.