BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — Authorities continue to search for three escaped Sullivan County Jail inmates Friday morning, including a man indicted on second-degree murder charges.

A spokesperson with the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) said the department believes the inmates escaped through an HVAC air vent from the ceiling of their cell.

“Our goal at this point is to locate these individuals and bring them back to jail,” said Capt. Andy Seabolt. “Obviously, security measures failed, and we are investigating to see exactly what occurred.”

An SCSO release did not specify the time of the escape. Police described the inmates as follows:

  • Tobias Wayne Carr, 38 years old. 5 feet and 11 inches. 160 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes
  • Johnny Shane Brown, 50 years old. 5 feet and 11 inches. 200 pounds with gray hair and brown eyes
  • Timothy Allen Sarver, 45 years old. 6 feet and 2 inches. 235 pounds with strawberry blond hair and green eyes
  • Tobias Carr: second-degree murder, vandalism, tampering with evidence
  • Johnny Brown: failure to appear, driving on suspended or revoked license, harassment, violation of order of protection, domestic assault, aggravated stalking
  • Timothy Sarver: auto theft, identity theft, drug paraphernalia, unlawful carrying of a weapon

According to April 2020 court documents, Carr was indicted on murder charges following a November 2019 incident in Kingsport.

Kingsport police had found Carr’s wife, Jennifer Carr, dead with multiple stab wounds inside a home on Barnett Drive, according to the original release.

Carr is an inmate on charges of second-degree murder, vandalism and tampering with evidence, according to the Feb. 4 SCSO release.

Brown is an inmate on charges of failure to appear, driving on a suspended or revoked license, harassment, violation of order of protection, domestic assault and aggravated stalking.

The release revealed Sarver was jailed on charges of auto theft, identity theft, drug paraphernalia and unlawful carrying of a weapon.

The Pulaski Police Department in Virginia said Sarver has ties to both the town of Pulaski and Pulaski County.

Later Friday afternoon, the sheriff’s office announced on its Facebook page that the United States Marshals Service has offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the capture of each individual inmate. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation added the three escaped inmates to the TN Most Wanted list and an additional reward of $2,500 per inmate. The total reward for information leading to the capture of all three totals at $22,500.

All Sullivan County Schools were “in a secure,” on Friday, according to an emergency alerts system.

The “secure” entails that all school doors remain locked and checked frequently. There are no entries or exits to any of the schools, with school resource officers stationed at all locations.

The Sullivan County Public Library is on lockdown as a response.

Authorities ask anyone who spots the inmates or with information on their whereabouts to call 911 immediately and to avoid approaching them.

The release did not disclose a general vicinity of where the inmates are believed to be, but the emergency alerts system was announced within a 2-mile radius of the SCSO.

The United States Marshals Service and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are assisting with the search, along with surrounding law enforcement agencies.

This is a developing story, and News Channel 11 will provide updates as they are received. Stay updated on-air and online at WJHL.com.