HEAT SIGNATURE GIVES HIM AWAY: Michigan Helicopter Finds Escaped Inmate Hiding In Swamp

An inmate who slipped out of the Crawford County Jail in Grayling, Michigan, was back in custody in about two and a half hours, thanks to a helicopter with a heat-sensing camera. Officials say Casey Jo Helsel fled around 1:30 p.m. on October 26 through a delivery door that had been accidentally propped open. He reportedly stripped off his jumpsuit and ran in only a white T-shirt and shorts. The Crawford County Sheriff's Office quickly asked the Michigan State Police for help, and the search was on.

MSP helicopter "Trooper 3" used its forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera to spot Helsel hiding beneath logs and debris in a swampy, wooded area near the Grayling Country Club. The aerial crew then guided troopers and officers on the ground straight to his hiding spot, and he was taken into custody safely, with no injuries reported. The search also pulled in the MSP Aviation Unit, Canine Unit, Emergency Support Team, the Houghton Lake, Gaylord, and Traverse City Posts, the Seventh District Fugitive Team, and STING detectives. MSP praised everyone involved for working together to end the manhunt quickly and safely. What remains unclear is how the door ended up propped open and what charges Helsel may now face.