Arkansas Fugitive Samuel Hartman Captured After Year on the Run
Authorities have apprehended Samuel Hartman, a fugitive from Arkansas who had been on the run for a year. Hartman, a convicted child rapist sentenced to life in prison in 2013, managed to escape while on a work detail in August 2022.
Hartman, 39 years old and an inmate at the East Arkansas Regional Unit, had fled with two family members who allegedly fired at correctional officers, according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders hailed the arrest as a result of dedicated work by law enforcement officers, stating, “Now that they have brought this dangerous fugitive to justice, all Arkansans can sleep safer at night.”
Fugitive and Accomplices Apprehended
Authorities successfully tracked down Hartman and his alleged accomplices at a Quality Inn in Lewisburg, West Virginia. Alongside Hartman, his 39-year-old wife, Misty Hartman; his 61-year-old mother, Linda Annette White; and White’s 52-year-old boyfriend, Rodney Trent, from West Virginia, were arrested.
Trent is facing charges for allegedly helping the fugitives evade authorities and harboring a sex offender.
Escape Details and Pursuit
The escape involved Misty Hartman and White using a pickup truck and jet skis to aid Samuel Hartman. On August 12, the two women approached the prison work detail in a pickup truck, while Hartman ran inside the vehicle. Shots were fired at correctional officers before the suspects fled the scene in the pickup truck.
A pursuit ensued, leading the fugitives to the Mississippi River, where they allegedly used pre-staged jet skis to evade capture. The abandoned jet skis were later discovered by law enforcement.
Investigation and Capture
In March, the US Marshals Service (USMS) Cold and Complex Case Unit, alongside investigators from the Eastern District of Arkansas, collaborated to track down the suspects. Linda Annette White’s ties to West Virginia through her boyfriend, Rodney Trent, led to the apprehension.
Court records include a phone call recording between Samuel Hartman and White, where Hartman can be heard making statements about the case. Despite the allegations, White can be heard encouraging her son to deny everything.
Criminal History and Law Enforcement Efforts
Samuel Hartman had a history of disciplinary violations, including contraband possession, battery, and sexual activity. Law enforcement agencies, including the Arkansas Department of Corrections, USMS, and Arkansas State Police, followed up on numerous leads during the year-long manhunt.
Arkansas Department of Corrections Secretary Joe Profiri expressed gratitude for the support and assistance from various agencies and the state of West Virginia in bringing the case to a successful conclusion.
In the words of Michael Baylous, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of West Virginia, “The apprehension of these dangerous fugitives demonstrates the close and outstanding relationship that CUFFED (Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division Task Force) enjoys with our local and state partners, other USMS Districts, and the USMS Domestic Investigations Branch.”