Sheriff reveals new information about escaped inmates at Raymond Detention Center

HINDS CO., Miss. (WLBT) - Hinds County officials are asking folks to stay alert after two detainees escaped from the Raymond Detention Center on Christmas Eve.

Tyler Charles Payne, 31, and Traverro McElroy, 36, escaped around 7:30 Saturday night.

Both of the men who escaped from the detention center are accused of violent crimes, and one is accused of murder. I spoke with the family of the woman he’s accused of killing about how this escape is impacting them.

“The only thing that I got for Christmas was bad news yesterday,” said Rebecca Cavett, Rikyla Brown’s mother. “I am terribly upset. They have failed my grandkids. They have failed my family.”

Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones says deputies realized Tyler Charles Payne and Traverro McElroy escaped when both were missing during head counts on Christmas morning.

“Based on the preliminary findings right now, we do believe that there were many administrative failures and policies violated during the time of the escape and possibly afternoon escape as well,” said Sheriff Jones.

Payne was being charged with armed carjacking, and McElroy was being held at the detention center on murder charges for Rikyla Brown.

Brown’s mother says she was celebrating Christmas when an inmate called her family.

“It was the inmate inside of the jail with the cell phone that contacted my son to let him know that the murderer of his sister had escaped,” said Cavett.

Sheriff Jones says because the Jackson Police Department handled McElroy’s case, the information to contact the victim’s family members wasn’t readily available to him.

“They haven’t sent any protection. Chief Davis hasn’t called me. No detective has called me,” Cavett said. “The DA hasn’t called me. I did talk to Sheriff Jones, and he assured me that he was working on it and he was investigating it but nobody contacted me.”

Now, Brown’s mother is calling for change in the District Attorney’s office and law enforcement offices in the capital city.

“I would like to see them working together to at least notify family members or victims or spouses or whoever that this is happening. I’m upset that there was a delay in information. He could’ve very well came by here and murdered us. He is fully aware of where I live,” Cavett expressed.

Sheriff Jones says he doesn’t know if the two men are armed. Regardless, they are considered to be dangerous.

If you have any information on where these two detainees could be, please contact the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office.

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