Mother of murder victim on killer’s accidental release: ‘I almost passed out’

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share via Email
• Copy Link

  Link Copied

Authorities in Florida are still working to figure out how two convicted killers were mistakenly released from prison.

Charles Walker and Joseph Jenkins were both serving decades long sentences for murder and other crimes at Franklin Correctional Institution.

The two were released after fraudulent documents were filed with the court clerk’s office, reducing their sentences with a forged signature of Judge Belvin Perry.

“It’s very ingenious,” Perry told NBC’s Mark Potter. “It’s a break out without having to break out.”

The prisoners returned to their homes in Orlando and even entered the county jail to register as released felons.

Law enforcement may have never caught on without the call from Evangelina Kearse, the mother of Cedric Slater, who was murdered by Walker.

“I almost passed out really,” Kearse said about receiving a notification letter that said Walker had been released.

“I said, ‘well how could this be?’ That somebody mastermind this through the court system and no one there knew anything about it,” she said.

Orange County officials believe Walker and Jenkins are still in the area hiding.

Follow Carrie Healey on Twitter @CarrieHeals.