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Show Tuttle continues to elude authorities Tuttle was arrested in Spokane, Washington on Oct. 8, 1983 in connection with the Sept. 6 stabbing death of 21-year-old Sydney Ann Merrick of Salt Lake City. He was found guity of first degree murder April 25, 1984 by a nine-woman, three-man jury in Coalville. Tuttle was sentenced to life in prison. Tuttle had previously been in and out of the Idaho State Corrections System since the age of 19. He escaped from the Idaho State Penitentiary in May of 1976 but was later recaptured. Additionally, Tuttle has escaped twice from county jails in Idaho, according to Summit County Sheriff Fred Eley. At the time of Merrick's death, Tuttle had been out of prison for about 18 months. He had served time for burglary and grand larceny. The escape of the three criminals along with the May 27 escape of Steven Van Dam, known as the Sugar House rapist, has prompted criticism of security at the state prison. Earlier this week, prison officials outlined new guidelines that they say should help curtail future escapes. Van Dam was apprehended over the weekend in Salt Lake City. Wesley Allen Tuttle, the man convicted of a September, 1983 murder near Summit Park, again gave law enforcement officers the slip Sunday near Rupert in south-central south-central Idaho. According to reports from the Minidoka County Sheriff's office, Tuttle was identified by a witness who had given the escaped convict a ride Sunday at about 4 p.m. Tuttle had been hitchhiking, according to the report. Tuttle, 33, along with two other inmates escaped from the Utah State Prison Aug. 21. Convicted murderer Walter Joseph Wood, 46, and convicted kidnapper Darrell Eugene Brady, 45, were apprehended later that day. The following day, a van was reported missing from Draper in south Salt Lake Valley near the prison. Police located the van Aug. 23 in Rupert. Tuttle's fingerprints were found in the vehicle. According to the Rupert Police Department, witnesses saw a man park the van on Wednesday and begin hitchhiking. Rupert is about 50 miles from wftere Tuttle's wife lives in Wendell. Authorities believe Tuttle could have been coming back through Rupert on his way west Sunday. |
