Escaped Prisoner May Have Been Drunk When Shot

The escaped prisoner who was shot to death on Friday may have been both drunk and sick when troopers finally caught up with him, reports the Buffalo News. The body of Richard Matt reeked of booze, authorities tell the newspaper. That gibes with the report of a cabin owner who checked his place and found that somebody had gotten into his alcohol, polishing off half a bottle of gin and leaving other bottles on the table. It might have been a birthday bash: Matt had turned 49 the day before he was killed. His final days clearly weren't pleasant, however. The state of his body made clear that he'd been exposed to the elements, and—this part is a little gross—his soiled underwear suggests he'd been sick, maybe the result of consuming bad food or water.

What's more, CNN reports that when troopers finally zeroed in on him, after a motorist reported a gun shot, it was a telltale cough that gave him away. They heard the sound in the woods, spotted Matt, and ordered him to raise his hands. Authorities say that while Matt didn't shoot at troopers—he had a shotgun—he also failed to comply with their order, and so they opened fire. (His escape partner David Sweat remains on the run, perhaps more dangerous than ever.)