Ramone Jamarr Alston, infamously known as the 'Christmas Day Killer,' has been apprehended in Kannapolis, North Carolina, after escaping custody near UNC Hillsborough Hospital. Tactical officers successfully arrested him at a hotel on Cloverleaf Parkway around 2 a.m. Friday, more than 100 miles away from the escape site.
Authorities have confirmed that Alston will face charges for felony escape from prison and will be transferred to a high-security unit within the state prison system. This comes as he was serving a life sentence for the first-degree murder of 1-year-old Maleah Williams, who tragically lost her life in a drive-by shooting.
Additionally, a female acquaintance of Alston, Jacobia Crisp, was arrested in Alamance County for aiding and abetting a fugitive. Investigations are ongoing to determine if there was further assistance provided to Alston, with the possibility of additional charges being filed.
Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood shared insights into Alston's troubled past, noting his history of criminal involvement since a young age. Describing Alston as extremely dangerous and cunning, Sheriff Blackwood emphasized the seriousness of the situation and the risks posed by the escapee.
Alston's criminal record includes being one of the gunmen in a 2015 drive-by shooting in Chapel Hill, where a bullet tragically struck Maleah in the back of her head while she was in her mother's arms. The recapture of Alston brings a sense of relief to the community and ensures that justice will be served for the heinous crimes committed.
