Authorities still searching for Minneapolis murder suspect accidentally released from Indiana jail
The Marion County, Indiana Sheriff’s Office continues to search for Kevin Mason, 28, who is wanted for a 2021 homicide in Minneapolis.
The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest. You can submit a tip here.
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He was mistakenly released from jail on Wednesday due to “faulty records review by civilian staff,” according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.
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Mason faces a second-degree murder charge in connection with a shooting on June 11, 2021, outside Shiloh Temple.
Mason is accused of fatally shooting 29-year-old Dontevius Catchings in the parking lot while a funeral was happening in the building.
“I couldn’t speak for 2 minutes, how did this happen, I was so devastated, I just started crying, really uncontrollably,” said Sharita Catchings, mother of Dontevius, after learning of the release.
“Why have we waited 6 days to reach out to the public? It’s simple — we’ve used this as a tactical advantage for us — used the quietness of the situation to not further run into the ground,” said Col. James Martin at a news conference on Tuesday.
As of late Wednesday, Mason was not in custody.
The new search for the suspect re-opens the old wounds of her son’s murder, according to Sharita Catchings.
“It’s hard it’s devastating, it’s unbearable. I was a very energetic individual, I’m not like that anymore. Half the time, I don’t want to get out of bed,” Catchings said.
The Sheriff’s Office said the employees involved in the release were fired from their positions.
Authorities in Indiana said two people were being questioned, on Wednesday afternoon, regarding Mason’s possible whereabouts in the area.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Department said it took more than 6 hours for staff to realize that Mason was released by mistake from the jail.