Where was Bradley Gillespie found? Body reportedly found in search of escaped Ohio prisoner

Henderson Police believe they have found the body of Bradley Gillespie, a convicted double-murderer who escaped from an Ohio prison on May 22, 2023. Following a five-day manhunt, on Sunday, May 28, 2023, Police Chief Sean McKinney announced that the remains of Bradley Gillespie, an inmate at Allen/Oakwood Correctional Institution (AOCI), were recovered in the Ohio River near Henderson.

Bradley Gillespie, 50, who is believed to have escaped from prison on Monday, was reported missing alongside a fellow inmate, James Lee, 47, on Tuesday after authorities discovered the jailbreak during an early morning prison count. On Monday, Gillespie was last seen on surveillance footage at the Allen/Oakwood Correctional Institution (AOCI) in Lima around 8:41 am.

The other escapee, James Lee, who was convicted on burglary and safecracking charges, was apprehended in Henderson, Kentucky, on Wednesday.

Police said that on Wednesday, the duo was spotted in a stolen vehicle at 3:16 am before officers initiated a traffic stop. During the encounter, the suspects reportedly sped away and crashed the car before fleeing on foot. Lee was reportedly arrested after a short pursuit however, Bradley Gillespie managed to evade capture at the scene.

Mckinney did not confirm the identity of the body found in the river citing a pending autopsy result. However, he said:

Authorities believe Gillespie’s remains were in the water for four to five days before he was spotted by a boater in the river and alerted police around 1:30 pm on Sunday.

Authorities have yet to disclose the circumstances that led to his death but noted that the investigation is in a preliminary stage. McKinney told reporters:

Bradley Gillespie was serving two consecutive 15-year-to-life terms at an Ohio prison before he was found dead

As previously reported, Bradley Gillespie was sentenced to two consecutive 15-year-to-life terms in the slayings of two people. Hannah Fischer and her boyfriend Frank Tracy Jr. were found shot in the head in February 2016.

As per the case report, Frank Tracy was reportedly a Methamphetamine dealer. The document stated that sometime in January 2016, Frank and Gillespie, who had drug dealings in the past, got into a heated altercation, which led to the former pointing a gun at the suspect’s head.

Gillespie, enraged over the encounter, borrowed a gun from his ex-girlfriend to scare the victims. However, during a drug-fueled confrontation, the suspect shot Hannah Fischer and her boyfriend, Frank in the head in February 2016.

During the trial, the prosecutors establishing a motive for the killing told the jury that Gillespie was overcome with rage after the victim had initially pointed a gun at his head.

About the author

Anushree is a US Trending News Specialist at Sportskeeda. After completing her Masters in Journalism from the prestigious Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media in 2017, Anushree worked with the likes of the Hindu, IBT, Times Internet, and One India for 7 years, covering a wide range of topics as a hardcore journalist and a Features writer.

Before creating content, Anushree does a lot of research, exploring old and new reports from credible sources and cross-checking them alongside other reliable sources from the web. She likes the reporting and researching aspect of her job the most as it allows her to gain insights into things that she wouldn't have known otherwise.

Anushree has also had the privilege of interviewing renowned author and television host Padma Lakshmi for the Hindu in 2017.

After signing off from work, Anushree loves to go on walks and hikes. She also enjoys reading and watching a lot of mass media content, especially reality television.

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