North Carolina Escapee Hides in Empty Store for Months

[SteveStromberg]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) _ A prison escapee who holed up for months in a vacant electronics store ventured out to attend church regularly, date a member of the congregation, and bring the most toys to a gift drive for needy children, police said.

Jeffrey Allen Manchester made his home in a 4-by-10-foot closet inside the empty Circuit City store decorated with posters and model toys police say he stole from the Toys ``R'' Us store next door. He routed water from the toy store to his hideout and even installed a smoke detector.

Manchester, 33, disappeared June 15 from the Brown Creek Correctional Institution in Anson County, 45 miles southeast of Charlotte. He was four years into a 45-year sentence on a robbery conviction from Gaston County.

Jail authorities said Manchester sneaked out by clinging to the undercarriage of a truck.

To members of Crossroads Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, he was John.

"He came to Bible study on Wednesday nights,'' his pastor, Ron Smith, said Friday. ``Very engaging. Down to earth. Nice fellow.''

While Manchester blended in at church events, Leigh Wainscott, 40, noticed him right away. At a church singles' lunch on Nov. 14, she and John started talking. He asked her out, and she said yes.

"He said he had a government job, but he couldn't tell anybody what he did. I asked about going to his place. He said it was a government building, a sterile environment,'' said Wainscott, 40.

She and John went to movies and concerts, but many nights they stayed at her apartment, playing games with her three kids or watching TV. She noticed that he treasured simple things, like looking out the window at the stars.

http://www.officer.com/article/article.jsp?id=20046&siteSection=1

[Clowd]

45 years for robbery? That's a bit over the top.

Guy seems pretty resourceful, he's obviously not violent or anything like that.. they should just let him free(never going to happen)

[juanbenae]

thats a great story SS thanks for posting! how can i get in touch with this guy manchester? i would like to hang out with him, he seens VERY cool and down to earth.

sounds like he is rehabilitated!!!

thanks again steve for the feel good story.