Last of 4 men who escaped from a Georgia jail last month is caught

STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. (AP) — The last of four men who escaped from a Georgia jail in October was caught Saturday, authorities said.

Joey Fournier, 53, was captured near Stockbridge, about 65 miles (105 kilometers) away from the jail in Bibb County, just before noon, Bibb County Sheriff David Davis said in a news release. Davis said last month that Fournier, Marc Kerry Anderson, Johnifer Dernard Barnwell and Chavis Demaryo Stokes escaped through a damaged window and a cut fence at the county jail on Oct. 16.

“We are grateful that this last escapee has been captured,” Davis said in an emailed statement. “My heartfelt appreciation goes out to all of the hard working law enforcement officers from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and from all of our partner agencies who worked tirelessly to bring these four fugitives back into custody.”

Davis did not provide any additional details on how Fournier was caught.

Barnwell was taken back into custody Nov. 12, Chavis Demaryo Stokes was caught on Oct. 26 and Marc Kerry Anderson was captured Nov. 3.

Video footage from the day of the escape showed that a blue Dodge Challenger had been just outside the jail hours before the escape. Video also appeared to show someone tampering with the fence. That person then brought some items into the enclosed area, and the sheriff said investigators believe the items were used to help the men escape.

Several people accused of helping the four men escape or elude recapture have been arrested on criminal charges.