- Samuel Paul Hartman, 39, was nabbed at the Quality Inn in Lewisburg, West Virginia along with his wife, Misty Hartman, 39, and mother, Linda White, 61
- Hartman broke out of the East Arkansas Regional Unit Prison on August 12, 2022
- He was serving a life sentence for the rape of his 14-year-old stepdaughter
An Arkansas child rapist who jet-skied out of prison a year ago and was on the lam was captured hiding out with family members at a West Virginia motel.
Samuel Paul Hartman, 39, was nabbed at the Quality Inn in Lewisburg, West Virginia, on Tuesday along with his wife, Misty Hartman, 39, his mother, Linda Annette White, 61, and his mother’s boyfriend, Rodney Trent, 52, according to the US Marshals office in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Hartman was serving a life sentence at the East Arkansas Regional Unit Prison for the rape of his 14-year-old stepdaughter since his conviction in December 2013.
The fugitive was working in a field near the prison on August 12, 2022, when he broke free. Hartman’s wife and mother aided in his escape by driving the getaway car.
The pair reportedly opened fire toward the work crew as Hartman ran into the vehicle before driving to the Mississippi River and jumping on two jet skis that had been set up as part of their escape plan.
The skis were later found abandoned along the bank, sparking the year-long hunt.
A witness reported seeing a man and two women riding the skis across the river.
A farmer later found jet skis, a cell phone and a set of keys at a boat ramp in Tunica County, according to Mississippi investigators, WREG reported.
In March, the US Marshals said they teamed up with Arkansas investigators to establish White’s connection to West Virginia.
Investigators discovered Hartman’s mother, Linda, had ties to West Virginia and contacted the Southern District of West Virginia for assistance in the case.
The four suspects were arrested at a Quality Inn & Suites. Police released photos of all four suspects in handcuffs. Hartman had a bloodied face in his photo – it’s unclear how he sustained the injuries.
‘Today’s capture was the result of deliberate and determined law enforcement work,’ said Joe Profiri, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
‘The United States Marshals Service, Arkansas State Police, and the Arkansas Department of Corrections have kept this case on the forefront and followed hundreds of leads over the course of the last year.’
He added: ‘We appreciate the support and assistance from all agencies involved, the Arkansas Governor’s office, and the State of West Virginia in bringing this case to a successful conclusion.’
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement about the capture.
‘Today’s announcement is the culmination of a year of outstanding, dedicated work by our heroic law enforcement officers,’ Sanders said.
‘Now that they have brought this dangerous fugitive to justice, all Arkansans can sleep safer at night,’ said
All are expected to be extradited to Arkansas as soon as possible, an Arkansas Department of Corrections spokeswoman said, The New York Post reported.
Both women were accused of assisting Hartman’s escape using a pickup truck and jet skis. It is unclear the newest charges the duo will face.
Trent faces felony charges for allegedly harboring a sex offender and for assisting the trio while on the run.
