Marshals catch murderer who escaped 32 years ago

Marshals catch murderer who escaped 32 years ago

Federal agents posing as firefighters in Colorado arrested a convicted murderer who escaped from a Florida prison 32 years ago during a power outage.

According to the Florida departments of Law Enforcement and Corrections, Frederick Barrett escaped at night from Union Correctional Institution in Raiford on Aug. 17, 1979. Officials said Barrett apparently climbed over three perimeter fences during a power outage and fled from the prison where he was serving a life sentence for a 1971 murder.

State records show Barrett, who is now 60, was convicted of a murder on the Florida Turnpike. Prosecutors and investigators said Barrett was in a car with three other men when he began to choke the driver, Carl Ardolino. Then Barrett and another passenger carried Ardolino to a water-filled ditch where they held his head under water until he died.

Barrett's escape has periodically been featured by FDLE and prison officials during efforts to capture violent fugitives in cold cases. For example, during the 2009 Christmas season, Barrett was among those included in Florida's “12 Days of Fugitives” campaign.

http://www.ocala.com/article/20110728/ARTICLES/110729754/1402/NEWS?Title=Marshals-catch-murderer-who-escaped-32-years-ago