ST. LOUIS — A 29-year-old inmate being held on sexual assault and burglary charges escaped from the St. Louis City Justice Center early Sunday morning, triggering a citywide manhunt that ended the same afternoon with his recapture in St. Louis County. The St. Louis jail escape put downtown residents on edge as police deployed K9 teams, real-time crime cameras, and intelligence investigators to track the fugitive through the city's streets.
TL;DR: Maurio Thomas, 29, escaped the City Justice Center in downtown St. Louis early Sunday, Oct. 18. Police say he slipped out through the facility's ceiling and was last caught on surveillance cameras around 1:30 a.m. Officers tracked him with the department's Real-Time Crime Center cameras and K9 units, and he was safely taken back into custody in St. Louis County on Sunday afternoon.
How the breakout unfolded
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department announced Sunday morning that it was working to locate Thomas following his escape from the City Justice Center earlier that morning. FOX 2 St. Louis reported that Thomas got out through the ceiling of the downtown detention facility, though the department has not publicly detailed exactly how he breached the building or how long he was gone before staff noticed he was missing.
Police released a description and surveillance images within hours. Thomas was last seen on camera near 20th and Market streets around 1:30 a.m., wearing what appeared to be a dark-colored jacket with a black shirt, dark pants, and white shoes. He is described as approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing about 130 pounds.
At 9:53 a.m., the department pushed out another update: Real-Time Crime Center video had captured Thomas in the area of Washington and Jefferson at 1:41 a.m., and he may have changed into gray shorts. Police posted photos from a Thursday arrest alongside close-ups of the shoes he was last seen wearing, urging the public to look closely.
A manhunt across downtown
SLMPD threw significant resources at the search. The department said it was using Real-Time Crime Center cameras, K9 teams, and its Intelligence Division to support the hunt. Residents were told to lock home and vehicle doors, remove keys from vehicles, and secure garages, sheds, and other outbuildings. Police warned the public not to approach or follow Thomas, but to move to a safe location and call 911 immediately.
FOX 2 aired a police press conference as the search unfolded Sunday, with the department calling on anyone who spotted the escapee to contact authorities right away.
Caught the same afternoon
The manhunt did not last long. FOX 2 reported that Thomas was taken into custody around 2 p.m. Sunday, and in a 3:21 p.m. update the police department confirmed the outcome: “The suspect was safely taken into custody in St. Louis County.” No injuries were reported during the search or the arrest.
Why he was in custody
Thomas was being held without bond on two counts of first-degree burglary and two counts of first-degree sodomy or attempted sodomy, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He had been charged Friday, Oct. 16. Prosecutors allege he broke into an elderly woman's home in the Carondelet neighborhood twice — on Aug. 16 and again on Oct. 9 — and sexually assaulted her. Police said fingerprints and DNA evidence tied him to the break-ins and that he admitted to entering the woman's home when questioned.
Those charges are allegations, and Thomas is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. His escape could bring additional charges on top of the counts he already faces.
FAQ
Who is Maurio Thomas?
Maurio Thomas is a 29-year-old St. Louis man who was being held without bond at the City Justice Center on burglary and sexual assault charges when he escaped on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026.
How did he escape from the jail?
FOX 2 St. Louis reported that Thomas escaped through the ceiling of the City Justice Center early Sunday morning. The police department has not released full details of how he got out of the secure facility.
What was he in jail for?
He had been charged with two counts of first-degree burglary and two counts of first-degree sodomy or attempted sodomy. Prosecutors allege he twice broke into an elderly woman's home in the Carondelet neighborhood and assaulted her. All charges are accusations, and he is presumed innocent.
When and where was he recaptured?
Thomas was taken back into custody in St. Louis County on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 18 — within hours of his escape. The police department confirmed the recapture in a 3:21 p.m. update.
Was anyone hurt during the escape or manhunt?
No. Police reported no injuries to officers, the public, or Thomas during the search and arrest.
How did police track him down?
SLMPD used its Real-Time Crime Center camera network, K9 teams, and Intelligence Division investigators. Surveillance video captured him near 20th and Market streets and later near Washington and Jefferson in the early-morning hours.
What happens to Thomas now?
He has been returned to custody to face the burglary and sexual assault charges, and authorities may add escape-related charges for breaking out of the detention facility.
