Man charged with murder of southern Illinois deputy attempts jail escape, sheriff says

Ray Tate, the Kentucky man who went on a crime spree after allegedly killing a southern Illinois sheriff’s deputy in December 2021, is now accused of trying to escape from jail.

Tate was being held at the Jefferson County Jail in Mount Vernon on charges of first-degree murder in the death of Deputy Sean Riley. Riley was found dead on the scene of a “motorist assist” call near milepost 115 on Interstate 64 on December 29.

Tate, 40, of Hopkinsville, Kentucky allegedly carjacked a tractor-trailer semi near where Riley’s squad car was later found abandoned, police allege. The driver, being held against his will, drove Tate to a gas station in St. Peters, Missouri, approximately a three-hours drive away, according to a release from Illinois State Police.

A series of carjackings, robberies and shootings followed before Tate allegedly drove a stolen car back to Carlyle, Illinois, where he held two men hostage until he was arrested. He was hit with multiple charges a day later, including the first-degree murder charge in Riley’s death.

Tate faces additional charges of armed robbery and kidnapping in Missouri.

Early Monday morning correctional officers from the Jefferson County jail discovered that Tate had gotten out of his cell and was attempting to escape the facility. He was taken into custody without further incident, according to a statement from Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.

Tate was caught when the jail was on its night shift lock down. Officers from the Mount Vernon Police Department set up a perimeter around the justice center while a head count and security check was conducted.

No other detainees were involved and all were present and accounted for, said the release.

During his escape attempt, Tate damaged jail property at several locations. Tate’s cell was the only location to have “considerable damage,” the release stated.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department said no further information would be released in order to head off further escape attempts.

Tate has not yet been charged with the attempted escape.