Two inmates who spent three weeks on the run after breaking free from a New York prison had smoked a celebratory cigar in their cells after finalizing their elaborate escape route.
Convicted murderers David Sweat and Richard Matt sparked a manhunt that captivated the country when they performed a Shawshank Redemption-style escape from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York back on June 6, 2015.
After three weeks on the run, Matt was eventually shot dead by authorities and Sweat was shot and captured a few days later near the Canadian border.
Sweat has now shed light on their escape for a new book ‘Wild Escape: The Prison Break from Dannemora and the Manhunt that Captured America’ written by reporter Chelsia Rose Marcius.
David Sweat and Richard Matt performed a Shawshank Redemption-style escape from the the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York back on June 6, 2015
The convicted murderers spent weeks cutting through their prison cell walls (above) before leading authorities on a three week manhunt that captivated the country
Sweat spent about 85 nights climbing down into catwalks into the tunnels under the prison to explore possible escape routes.
He firstly had to cut through a steel wall in their cells using chisels, blades and power tools smuggled in by civilian employee Joyce Mitchell who ran the tailor shop where they worked.
Sweat also spent hours cutting through large steam pipes and the chain on the manhole cover that they eventually managed to escape through.
In an excerpt from the book published by the New York Daily News, Sweat detailed the lengthy process he went through to cut through the final metal steam pipe with a hacksaw blade – one inch an hour over several weeks.
He said he started the process in the May before his escape when the spring weather meant the prison had cooled its heating system, meaning Sweat could touch the pipe without scalding himself.
After successfully cutting the man-sized hole in the pipe, Sweat described walking in a passageway that ran along a two-block residential street Dannemora so he could inspect the various manholes above him.
After three weeks on the run, Matt was eventually shot dead by authorities and Sweat (pictured above on June 28) was shot and captured a few days later near the Canadian border
The men left a note (pictured above) for authorities to later find on one of the metal pipes they had cut through that said ‘have a nice day’ alongside a smiley face
The two men escaped under the prison and fled from this manhole on a residential street in Dannemora
Sweat managed to saw off a chain with the blade and peaked out to check he was outside the prison walls.
‘This will be perfect,’ he said to himself.
Sweat said he then ran back to his cell, lit the cigar and woke Matt to celebrate.
Six months earlier when they started hatching their plan, they had promised they would smoke the cigar when the route was finally ready.
They escaped the prison that night.
The men left a note on one of the metal pipes they had cut through that said ‘have a nice day’ for authorities to later find.
They were discovered missing the following morning during an early inmate count. Sweat had made a makeshift dummy to look like he was still sleeping in his cell.
Sweat was serving a life sentence for killing a sheriff’s deputy in 2002, while Matt was Matt was in prison for 25 years to life for kidnapping, killing and dismembering a man in 1997.
The two inmates cut through the steel walls in their cells (above) using chisels, blades and power tools smuggled in by civilian employee
Pictured above are the chisels, punch, hacksaw blade pieces and unused drill bits were found left by Sweat inside the tunnel
They were discovered missing the following morning during an early inmate count. Sweat had made a makeshift dummy to look like he was still sleeping in his cell
The two men had enlisted the help of Mitchell, a married prison seamstress, to carry out their plan.
Sweat revealed details of his escape to reporter Chelsia Rose Marcius in her new book Wild Escape
It later emerged that they had manipulated her into believing they would all settle together in a place on the beach in Mexico when they got out.
The pair both had sexual relations with the mother-of-one while in prison.
The three-week manhunt that followed their escape enlisted the help of 1,300 law enforcement personnel.
Matt was eventually shot dead by officers on June 26 in a wooded area 30 miles west of the prison. Sweat was shot and captured two days later near the Canadian border.
Sweat pleaded guilty to escape charges and was ordered to pay restitution for some of the $573,000 in repair costs.
Mitchell, the tailor shop employee, pleaded guilty to charges related to providing hacksaw blades and other tools to the inmates.
Wild Escape: The Prison Break from Dannemora and the Manhunt that Captured America by Chelsia Rose Marcius will be on sale from Tuesday.
The two men had enlisted the help of Joyce Mitchell, a married prison seamstress, to carry out their plan. She pleaded guilty to charges related to providing the blades and tools to them
The three-week manhunt that followed their escape enlisted the help of 1,300 law enforcement personnel
Sweat pleaded guilty to escape charges and was ordered to pay restitution for some of the $573,000 in repair costs