MACON, Ga. — A week after four inmates escaped from the Bibb County jail, investigators are still searching for the men. Now, fugitive recovery experts are weighing in on the investigation, each with years of experience.
"I just don't understand why they haven't been caught yet," David Gambale said. "The community is at risk."
Gambale owns Freedom Bail Bonds in Virginia. The bail bondsman has 25 years of experience chasing down people who skip out on bail.
Gambale and Joshua Skule, a former FBI Counterterrorism Division deputy assistant director, stressed the importance of keeping the four inmates' names and faces in public view.
"I believe they're out of the area. And the police need to look into any family, any friends out of the area. Something's helping them," Gambale said.
Gambale believes the four fugitives are already out of Georgia and — if that is the case — it might complicate the investigation.
"It's harder to track you down the farther you're away," Gambale said.
He says wherever they are, someone is still helping them.
"They have no food. They have no clothes. They have no place to stay. They have no shelter," Gambale said. "Someone has to support them."
He says that's why it's so important investigators follow the inmates' transactions and those of people they know. Skule says it's likely they're looking at much more than that.
"There's also involved social media analysis, cell phone tracking, looking at communications, likely associates and, of course, people who are going to want to cooperate," Skule said.
Skule now heads a national security consulting firm, also in Virginia. Skule says investigators likely got several leads from the blue Dodge Challenger they found last week in an east Macon Kroger parking lot. He says it could be crucial in the investigation.
"Any of the forensics that they've gotten out of it. Was there somebody else driving it? Was there unknown fingerprints? Clearly, they have biographical information on the four fugitives, but is there any other information they can glean from that car; would reveal any other leads for them to track down," Skule explained.
Both stressed the importance of staying vigilant. They said it's possible the men could commit more crimes to stay on the run as long as possible. Last week, Sheriff David Davis told Maconites the same.
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