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Reward upped after suspect in NC deputy killing escapes jail with sister’s help

By WSOCTV.com News Staff
By WSOCTV.com News Staff

PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, Va. — Authorities believe a man suspected in a North Carolina deputy’s shooting death escaped from a Virginia jail with help from his sister. The FBI and U.S. Marshals Service are offering a combined reward of up to $70,000 for his capture.

According to a criminal complaint, Adriana Marin-Sotelo is accused of conspiracy to instigate or assist escape between April 29 and May 1. WTVD reports she is the sister of Alder Marin-Sotelo, who is one of the men accused of killing a North Carolina deputy.

According to the Prince Edward County Sheriff’s Office, Alder Marin-Sotelo broke out with another inmate from the Piedmont Regional Jail over the weekend. The facility is about 90 minutes west of Richmond.

Deputies told WTVD they first noticed Alder and 44-year-old Bruce Callahan of North Carolina were missing from the jail at 4 a.m. Monday. The jail’s superintendent said he believes Marin-Sotelo and Callahan manipulated the lock on the rear exit door.

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As of Wednesday, they are still on the run.

U.S. Marshals are adding up to $20,000 to the current FBI $50,000 reward in the search for Alder Marin-Sotelo.

Marin-Sotelo and his brother, Arturo, are accused of killing Wake County Deputy Ned Byrd in August 2022. The deputy was shot multiple times while responding to a call on a dark stretch of Auburn Knightdale Road near Battle Bridge Road on Aug. 11, 2022.

Byrd, a K-9 deputy, was found dead when the sheriff’s office sent other deputies to check on him, the sheriff said. He joined the sheriff’s office in July 2009 as a detention officer and was sworn in as a deputy in March 2018.

Red Mustang investigators are looking for (FBI)

The brothers were arrested on Interstate 40 in Burke County and then indicted on murder charges, WTVD reports. The pair pleaded not guilty to their charges.

Arturo Marin-Sotelo is still in the Wake County jail, WTVD reported.

According to court documents, Alder Marin-Sotelo pleaded guilty in December to possession of a firearm by an unlawful alien and was at Piedmont Regional Jail while awaiting his sentencing.

Investigators said on Sunday, Marin-Sotelo was seen on surveillance video around 1:40 a.m. climbing over the jail fence and escaping, leaving the parking lot in a red Mustang.

Agents looked through calls he made in the days prior and discovered Adriana Marin-Sotelo was instructed to arrange a car for Alder to escape in. She was working with two other co-conspirators who have not been indicted, one of whom is an inmate at the jail, authorities said.

Investigators interviewed one of the co-conspirators, who said Adriana bought the Mustang and gave it to the other co-conspirator to drop off at the jail. That second accomplice said they met Adriana at an auto repair shop in High Point and got the Mustang from her. They said she had just bought the car for $3,000 and brought a paper license plate to place on it.

Adriana Marin-Sotelo was arrested Tuesday morning, investigators said.

Deputies in Prince Edward County asked anyone who sees Alder Marin-Sotelo to call 911 immediately. The U.S. Marshals are leading the investigation into the escaped inmates, according to WTVD.

The FBI released new photos from a video jail call made within hours of Marin-Sotelo’s escape. Authorities said he’s a 26-year-old and is 5 feet, 6 inches tall. He weighs 150 pounds and has brown eyes and black hair. He was wearing a grey prison sweatsuit when he escaped but may have changed clothes or could be wearing a disguise, the FBI said.

Authorities said he has ties to both North Carolina and Mexico.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

(WATCH PREVIOUS: Sources: Federal authorities help Wake County deputies with 2 arrests in Burke County)

Sources: Federal authorities help Wake County deputies with 2 arrests in Burke County

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