Bio

Richard Lee McNair was born on December 9, 1958, in Duncan, Oklahoma. He served in the United States Air Force and was stationed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota.

Murder Story

In November 1987, Richard Lee McNair carried out a robbery attempt at a grain elevator near Minot, North Dakota. During the incident, he confronted two individuals at the location, including truck driver Jerry Theis.

The robbery escalated into violence. McNair fatally shot Theis during the confrontation. A second individual was also shot multiple times but survived the attack.

Following the incident, McNair was identified as a suspect and taken into custody. While in police custody shortly after his arrest, he managed to escape by freeing himself from handcuffs using a lubricant and fled the building. He was quickly recaptured after sustaining injuries during the escape attempt.

In 1988, McNair pleaded guilty to charges including murder, attempted murder, and burglary. He was sentenced to multiple life terms in prison.

While incarcerated, McNair became known for repeated escape attempts and successful escapes. In 1992, he escaped from the North Dakota State Penitentiary by navigating through a ventilation system. He remained at large for approximately ten months before being recaptured in Nebraska in July 1993.

Due to his history of escape, McNair was transferred to the federal prison system. On April 5, 2006, he carried out another escape from a federal maximum-security prison in Pollock, Louisiana. He concealed himself inside a modified mailbag container and was transported out of the facility before cutting himself free.

Shortly after escaping, McNair was stopped by a police officer in Ball, Louisiana. Despite lacking identification and matching the description of an escaped inmate, he convinced the officer he was a local worker and was released.

Following national media coverage, including placement on the United States Marshals Service Most Wanted list, McNair was sighted in multiple locations, including Canada. He evaded capture for over a year.

On October 25, 2007, McNair was apprehended by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police near Campbellton, New Brunswick, while driving a stolen vehicle. He was taken into custody and later extradited to the United States.