Halifax CO. -
Corrections and law enforcement officers continued the search for a convicted killer who escaped Sunday while working outside Tillery Correctional Center in Halifax County.
James Ladd was operating a tractor on the prison farm Sunday morning. That tractor was found abandoned on the farm around 10 a.m., officials said.
The search continued through the night with officers on the ground and a Highway Patrol helicopter in the air. The search is continuing Monday, and expanding outward, according to the Department of Public Safety.
More than 60 Prison Emergency Response Team members and prison officers are activated and State Wildlife officers and Alcohol Law Enforcement agents are assisting with search manpower and investigative support.
Ladd, 51, was serving three consecutive life sentences in connection with robbery and shooting deaths of two men on a Yadkin County farm in 1980.
Ladd is described as a white male with graying hair and a beard, which he may have shaven since his escape. He has blue eyes, and stands 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds.
He was last seen wearing green pants and a white t-shirt, but may also have a pair of black pants.
Anyone who has seen Ladd, or has information on his whereabouts should call local law enforcement or Tillery Correctional Center at (252) 826-4165.
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