One of two convicted murderers who escaped from an Arizona prison was captured today in Meeteetse, Wyoming, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Tracy Province, 42, was arrested at 6:20 a.m. by a task force of U.S. Marshals and deputy sheriffs after being spotted walking through the town.
At the time of his arrest, Province was carrying a hitchhiking sign with “Casper” written on it.
He was also found with a handgun.
The U.S. Marshals Service said that after being apprehended, Province said he was relieved he was caught.
Tom Henman, spokesman for the U.S. Marshals Service, said that Province initially gave a false name but eventually admitted to his identity.
Henman said that the break came when a woman saw and spoke with Province in Meeteetse on Sunday, not realizing he was a fugitive. However, when she returned home, she saw Province’s picture in the media and called the Park County Sheriff’s Office which investigated.
Based on information developed by the Park County Sheriff’s Office, a task force from Montana – including U.S. Marshals and Yellowstone County, Montana deputy sheriffs – went to Meeteetse and made the arrest.
Meeteetse is 35 miles southeast of Cody on Wyoming State Highway 120.
Earlier in the day, officials in Grand Teton National Park north of Jackson Hole, Wyo. and Yellowstone National Park had been looking for murderer John Charles McCluskey, who escaped with Province from an Arizona prison on July 30, according to Lt. Tom Kelly of the Wyoming State Patrol.
However, Henman said that as of Monday afternoon, focus of the search for McCluskey had shifted to Montana and away from the two national parks.
He said the focus of the search shifted because of information gathered by the task force.
McCluskey, Province and a third convicted murderer, Daniel Renwick, 35, escaped from the Arizona State Prison at Kingman on July 30. Renwick was arrested in Rifle on Aug. 1, after a brief car chase involving Rifle police officers.
A third person, Casslyn Welch, is believed to be traveling with McCluskey, Henman said.
Al Nash, spokesman for Yellowstone National Park, said that earlier today approximately 100 armed park rangers had been on the look-out for McCluskey.
He said that visitors to the park were being advised of the situation as they entered the park. Late last night rangers began posting fliers with pictures of the escapees – the U.S. Marshal “wanted posters” – at campground bulletin boards and visitor centers.
Henman said McCluskey has been linked by forensic evidence to the murders of an Oklahoma couple killed at a campground in Santa Rosa, N.M. The couple’s camper was set on fire and discovered in Santa Rosa while their truck was found abandoned approximately 120 miles away in Albuquerque.
Henman added that although forensic evidence has only linked McCluskey to the murders in Santa Rosa, authorities know the three escapees were together during the time frame in which the couple was murdered.
On Saturday, Claudia Washburn, the mother of McCluskey, was arrested and charged with providing financial and other types of support in the escape.
The U.S. Marshals Service said McCluskey is considered armed and extremely dangerous. The public is encouraged to call their local police or ASP Kingman Escapees task Force in Arizona at 602-542-1212.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
