Breaking out of Prison with Art

By now many of you will have heard of the convicted killers, Richard Matt & David Sweat, who recently escaped from a maximum security prison in upstate New York.

David Sweat & Richard Matt

These deranged killers have eluded the authorities for weeks, and are presumed to be armed & dangerous. In investigating where the pair got ahold of the tools required to escape from one of the most secure prisons in the US, it would appear that Matt is an artist who exchanged his work for tools.

Yes, you read that right – Richard Matt exchanged portraits of celebrities for tools to escape prison.

Portrait of Barack Obama, by Richard W. Matt

The stone-cold killer who busted out of a Dannemora prison is an amateur artist who loves to paint — especially portraits of political and celebrity figures, a friend told CNY Central TV in Syracuse.
New York Daily News