Two Escapees Spotted on JBU Campus, One Still on the Loose
By: Marissa Stevens
Updated: April 18, 2012
Two men escape from a drug rehab program and end up on John Brown University's campus, but one man is still on the loose.
"All of us have that sixth sense and you can generally trust that," said Scott Wanzer, the Director of JBU Campus Safety.
Wanzer says a faculty member saw Matthew Bills and Dennis Barber walking around campus Monday afternoon.
"They said they were looking to enroll so he was going to walk them to a nearby building to show them how to do that."
But according to police and the Arkansas Department of Correction, the men escaped from a Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Program, also known as DARP, in Decatur after being transferred from the Ouachita River Correctional Unit.
"They got close to the building and changed their mind, decided they wanted to enroll online or do it later."
Wanzer says the JBU employee thought it seemed strange and called security.
"I pulled up and asked if they, who they were, what was going on, asked if they had any ID and at that point because I was asking them questions, they clearly did not want to hang around, they both just took off running."
According to Wanzer, both men ran into the woods off campus so the Siloam Springs Police Department stepped in.
"15 to 20 minutes later, one of them emerged out onto a street south of that location and they made contact with him."
Police say they arrested Bills, who has been serving time for a theft charge according to ADC, but officers say Barber, in for a drug charge, is still on the run.
29-year-old Matthew Bills is now in Benton County Jail, and if anyone has information about Barber and where he might be, please call police.
"All of us have that sixth sense and you can generally trust that," said Scott Wanzer, the Director of JBU Campus Safety.
Wanzer says a faculty member saw Matthew Bills and Dennis Barber walking around campus Monday afternoon.
"They said they were looking to enroll so he was going to walk them to a nearby building to show them how to do that."
But according to police and the Arkansas Department of Correction, the men escaped from a Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Program, also known as DARP, in Decatur after being transferred from the Ouachita River Correctional Unit.
"They got close to the building and changed their mind, decided they wanted to enroll online or do it later."
Wanzer says the JBU employee thought it seemed strange and called security.
"I pulled up and asked if they, who they were, what was going on, asked if they had any ID and at that point because I was asking them questions, they clearly did not want to hang around, they both just took off running."
According to Wanzer, both men ran into the woods off campus so the Siloam Springs Police Department stepped in.
"15 to 20 minutes later, one of them emerged out onto a street south of that location and they made contact with him."
Police say they arrested Bills, who has been serving time for a theft charge according to ADC, but officers say Barber, in for a drug charge, is still on the run.
29-year-old Matthew Bills is now in Benton County Jail, and if anyone has information about Barber and where he might be, please call police.
