Crockett inmate is on the run

An inmate at the Crockett County Jail has escaped and a manhunt is underway in Gibson County. The Sheriff’s Department confirms that a vehicle thought to be the getaway car has been located in Gibson County this morning.
59-year-old Gerald Pete Samples, who has a prior history of escape, is 6’2”, approximately 207 lbs. He escaped around 4:40 a.m. today, according to camera footage and is the subject of a manhunt involving several law enforcement agencies.
Investigators are trying to determine if Samples had an accomplice in the escape. The Crockett Sheriff’s Department says Samples is considered a career criminal and urges anyone who sees to call 911 immediately.
The escapee was last seen wearing a brown shirt and brown pants. He has been in custody in Crockett County since August 2025 awaiting extradition to Virginia where he faces multiple felony charges of solicitation of a child 15 years of younger by electronic means.