Authorities continue search for escaped inmate in Pettis County
Authorities continued to search for a man who escaped from the Pettis County Jail last week.
Travis L. Davis, 30, was accused of kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child, among other charges.
According to a probable cause statement, staff of the jail learned the Davis was not in his jail cell early Monday morning. It was determined after they spoke with other inmates and reviewed the surveillance footage that Davis escaped on Saturday around 9:30 p.m.
The document said that Davis climbed into the ceiling, across the rafters, then through a maintenance access hole and made it out through the South Lamine side of the jail.
Patrol captain of the Pettis County Sheriff’s Department, Dave Keller, said the epartment does not believe Davis is in the county.
“We really don’t believe he’s in this county, the last good word we had was that he is in south Missouri,” Keller said. He said they are looking closer in West Plains and Joplin.
A probable cause statement filed when Davis was initially charged said Davis was arrested after holding a woman and child inside a home as police tried to get him to come out. He threatened to kill the 8-month-old baby and the woman and told police he had a pistol, the statement said.
Police eventually got inside and had to use a stun gun on Davis and then physically subdue him, according to the statement. Davis had strangled the woman and refused to let go of her initially, the statement said. She told officers she would be afraid for her life if Davis got out of jail.
Authorities described Davis as a white male, 6 feet tall and 150 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. Davis has several tattoos, including an eye within a triangle on the front of his neck. Davis was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and gray pants.
Authorities consider Davis to be dangerous, and he should not be approached. Anyone with information on the escape or Davis’ whereabouts is urged to contact the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office at 660-827-0052.
