The Dannemora prison escape: Where are they now? A look at the key players
The Dannemora prison escape is a classic prison break story that occurred in and around Clinton County, New York, in 2015. Motivated by the desire for freedom, two convicts, David Sweat and Richard Matt, escaped with the help of two prison employees. Here are details of all perpetrators involved in the Dannemora prison escape, their current interests and whereabouts.
Source: Twitter
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- The events of the prison break at Dannemora are perpetrated by David Sweat, Richard Matt, Joyce Mitchell and Gene Palmer.
- After serving her sentence, Joyce Mitchell returned to her family and has kept details of her life private.
- Gene Palmer served a four-month sentence and has returned to his life.
- David Sweat is currently serving a life sentence, with an additional three and a half to seven years for the escape.
- His accomplice, Richard Matt, was killed during the manhunt in Malone, New York.
Exploring the Dannemora prison escape: then and now
The main culprits behind the story of the Dannemora Prison Escape are convicted murderers Richard Matt and David Sweat. Their interaction with prison supervisor Joyce Mitchell ended in an inappropriate relationship and a prison escape plan. Gene Palmer, a former correctional guard at the Clinton Correctional Facility, also played a role in the escape.
The prison break has inspired various Dannemora prison escape documentaries, including: Dannemora Prison Break, We Stand Corrected: Dannemora, New York Prison Break: The Seduction of Joyce Mitchell and Escape at Dannemora. Follow the stories of each player involved and their current whereabouts.
1. Richard Matt
Source: Twitter
- Full name: Richard William Matt
- Nickname: Rick
- Date of birth: 25 June 1966
- Place of birth: Tonawanda, New York, United States
- Date of death: 26 June 2015
- Place of death: Malone, New York, United States
- Children: 2
Richard sustained serious injuries from a gunshot wound and later died as a result. Benicio del Toro, a Puerto Rican actor, portrayed him in the seven-episode drama Escape at Dannemora.
According to The Guardian, before the escape, Richard Matt was serving a 25-to-life sentence at the correctional facility. A sentence that stemmed from the kidnapping and murder of William Rickerson in New York in 1997.
After serving nearly a decade in his sentence, Matt and Sweat, who shared adjoining cells, plotted a successful prison break with the help of former prison officer Gene Palmer and prison seamstress Tilly Mitchell.
While on the run, Matt's violent gun-toting behaviour drew the attention of locals, hunters and cabin owners in the forests, hills and fields around Dannemora. On 26 June 2015, a local checking in on his hunting cabin raised the alarm after finding an out-of-place bottle of grape-flavoured gin on his kitchen table.
After a short ground search, the police found Matt in the surrounding woods in the town of Malone. His refusal to comply with police orders, while holding a firearm, led to his death.
2. David Sweat
Source: Twitter
- Full name: David Sweat
- Nickname: Stain
- Date of birth: 14 June 1980
- Age: 44 years as of April 2025
- Place of birth: New York City, New York, United States
According to Press Connect, David Sweat is serving a life sentence at a maximum-security prison in upstate New York. His escape alongside Matt earned him an additional three and a half to seven years.
Sweat had a troubled childhood, engaging in violent crime from the age of seventeen. A gruesome murder on 4 July 2002, committed by Sweat and his cousin, Jeffrey A. Nabinger Jr, landed him at the Clinton Correctional facility. The duo shot and killed Broome County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin J. Tarsia after robbing a fireworks and guns shop.
At Dannemora, where he was serving his initial sentence, Sweat met his prison break accomplice, Richard Matt. With help from Tilly, the two cut and drilled their way out of the maximum-security prison in early June 2015. After being on the run for three weeks, Sweat was shot and captured near the Canadian border.
3. Joyce Tilly Mitchell
Source: Twitter
- Full name: Joyce Mitchell
- Nickname: Tilly, Tillie
- Former profession: Training supervisor
- Relationship status: Married
- Spouse: Lyle Mitchell
- Children: 1
After serving her sentence, Joyce Mitchell left the spotlight, with very little being known about her. At the time of writing, her whereabouts are unknown.
In 2008, Tilly joined the Clinton Correctional Facility as an industrial training supervisor within the garment manufacturing division. She supervised the prison's tailor shop until 6 June 2015, the day of the prison break. After her conviction in September 2015, she was sentenced to seven years at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women in New York.
Joyce assisted Richard Matt and David Sweat in their escape from the Clinton Correctional Facility by providing material support. She had also offered to be their getaway driver, but did not go through with it.
After serving four years and five months of her sentence, Joyce Mitchell was granted parole in February 2020. Her release came after several of her parole requests had been denied twice in 2017 and once in 2019. After her release, she was kept under supervision until June 2022.
In Escape at Dannemora, Mitchell was played by veteran actress Patricia Arquette. In an interview with the New York Post, she protested her portrayal in the docuseries, saying;
I never had sex with them. Ben Stiller is a liar just like the rest of the world. He does not care about the truth. All he cares about is making millions off me. He is an idiot.
4. Gene Palmer
Source: Twitter
- Full name: Gene Palmer
- Former profession: Prison officer
- Relationship status: Married
- Spouse: Laurie Palmer
According to The Cinemaholic, Palmer, who lost his role in the correction facility, adopted a discreet lifestyle after his release. This includes changing his name and leaving the town of Dannemora.
Former Clinton County prison officer Gene Palmer served four months of his six-month sentence for his involvement in the Matt and Sweat escape. He was released in 2016.
In his defence, Palmer told the North Country Public Radio that the art supplies and tools he supplied the convicts were not intended for the escape. He said;
Usually, we have the rat system.
5. Lyle Mitchell
Source: Twitter
- Full name: Lyle Mitchell
- Former profession: Prison employee
- Relationship status: Married
- Spouse: Joyce Mitchell
- Children: 3
Lyle Mitchell is married to Joyce Mitchell. He has been vocal in his wife's defence, revealing that she was in too deep and that the inmates had threatened to kill him and their son. When asked whether he would stick with her, he told NBC News;
I do not know, there are so many thoughts running through my head. Do I still love her? Yes. Am I mad? Yes. How can she do this? How can she do it to our kids?
Who are the real people behind the Dannemora prison escape?
The prison break at the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora was orchestrated by convicted murderers Richard Matt and David Sweat. Other active players included prison officer Gene Palmer and supervisor Joyce Tilly Mitchell.
How long did Tilly get in jail?
In the Escape at Dannemora prison documentary, Joyce Mitchell, also known as Tilly, is found guilty of promoting prison contraband and facilitating criminal activity.
Although she was sentenced to seven years in prison, she served more than four years at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility maximum-security prison for women and was released in February 2020.
Where is Joyce Mitchell today?
After her release from prison, Mitchell underwent a community supervision period. As of April 2025, her whereabouts and condition are not known.
Does Joyce Mitchell have a son?
Yes. Tilly has one child, Tobey Premo Jr., with her first husband, Tobey Premo. He has been vocal in defending his mother. Speaking to NBC News, he said;
She is not the kind of person that is going to risk her life or other people's lives to let these guys escape from prison.
He added;
When you are put into a situation where your family member is threatened or other family members might be threatened, or at risk, you do a lot of things that you wouldn't do, just to protect your family.
The Dannemora prison escape showcased the extent of human desire and the pursuit of freedom. While David Sweat is the only perpetrator remaining in jail, his other counterparts have moved on with their lives. Tragically, Richard Matt, one of the major culprits, lost his life during the manhunt.
Legit.ng recently published an article about the Growing Pains cast. For lovers of sitcoms, it is one of the best family television shows of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The cast brings together talented veteran actors who have played well to create a captivating storyline. After the sitcom ended in 1992, the actors took on major acting roles. Read this article to find out more about each of them.
Source: Legit.ng
