February 11, 2009 7:01 PM
- Text
Pizza Delivery Costly For Escapees
(CBS/AP)
Two violent felons who stopped at nothing to escape from a maximum-security prison — they hid on a trash truck — stopped for pizza later, and were caught.
Johnny Brewer, a convicted murderer, and Jimmy Causey, a convicted kidnapper, had been on the loose since Tuesday, when they escaped from a Columbia prison. They were apprehended about 110 miles to the south, at a motel along busy Interstate 95 in Ridgeland, said Robert Stewart, chief of the state Law Enforcement Division.
"We got a tip from a local restaurant that had delivered pizza and thought it was suspicious," Ridgeland police chief Richard Woods told CBS News.
Causey and Brewer "were getting to the point they were pretty hungry," Woods said.
Judie Trainer delivered the pizza to the Palms Motel.
"He said, 'I'm in the shower. The money's on the table. Come on in and get it.' I said, 'No, sir.' I kept one foot out this door and one foot in the room and stretched over, got the money. It wasn't enough. I said, 'Sir, I need more money.' He said, 'Well, just a minute, ma'am, and I'll give you $5 more.' He reached around the door. And I had never seen his face. And handed me another five. I took the five out of his hand," Trainer told CBS News Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith.
But Trainer says she knew something wasn't right.
"He said he was in the shower. The arm was dry. The money was dry," Trainer said. "I think I'm very lucky I'm here today."
Trainer called her husband.
"When she said she thought something was up, I told her I agreed with her. I walked over to the police station and got in touch with Chief Woods and told him I thought they ought to check it out," Bill Trainer said.
Judy Trainer will now get a $5,000 reward, "a pretty good tip on a pizza delivery," notes Smith.
Pat Smith, a maid at the motel, said Causey told the clerk when he checked in Tuesday night that his identification was in his car, and that the car had been towed.
"He was real friendly," she said. "When they got (Brewer) in the cuffs, (Causey) said, 'Can I get my money back?' He said, 'Can I get a refund?'" Smith hadn't seen Brewer before his arrest, she said.
The pair had been seen Tuesday after their escape in a car authorities allege was driven by Ashley Bostic, 23, of Hopkins. Richland County authorities charged Bostic on Thursday with harboring an escaped convict.
According to arrest warrants, Bostic confessed to driving Causey and Brewer to Ridgeland to help them get away. The car was recovered Tuesday night in Orangeburg County, between Columbia and Ridgeland.
Steven Blair Goodwin, 26, and Kate Tilley, 21, both of Hopkins, also were charged with obstruction of justice and lying to police. Goodwin is Causey's half-brother.
In 2004, Causey, 35, was convicted of holding Columbia attorney Jack Swerling and his family at gunpoint in their home in 2002. Brewer, 39, was convicted in 1999 for strangling his sister-in-law, Kelly Burbage, in 1994.
They've now learned a valuable lesson, says CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann: You don't short-change the pizza deliverywoman.
Johnny Brewer, a convicted murderer, and Jimmy Causey, a convicted kidnapper, had been on the loose since Tuesday, when they escaped from a Columbia prison. They were apprehended about 110 miles to the south, at a motel along busy Interstate 95 in Ridgeland, said Robert Stewart, chief of the state Law Enforcement Division.
"We got a tip from a local restaurant that had delivered pizza and thought it was suspicious," Ridgeland police chief Richard Woods told CBS News.
Causey and Brewer "were getting to the point they were pretty hungry," Woods said.
Judie Trainer delivered the pizza to the Palms Motel.
"He said, 'I'm in the shower. The money's on the table. Come on in and get it.' I said, 'No, sir.' I kept one foot out this door and one foot in the room and stretched over, got the money. It wasn't enough. I said, 'Sir, I need more money.' He said, 'Well, just a minute, ma'am, and I'll give you $5 more.' He reached around the door. And I had never seen his face. And handed me another five. I took the five out of his hand," Trainer told CBS News Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith.
But Trainer says she knew something wasn't right.
"He said he was in the shower. The arm was dry. The money was dry," Trainer said. "I think I'm very lucky I'm here today."
Trainer called her husband.
"When she said she thought something was up, I told her I agreed with her. I walked over to the police station and got in touch with Chief Woods and told him I thought they ought to check it out," Bill Trainer said.
Judy Trainer will now get a $5,000 reward, "a pretty good tip on a pizza delivery," notes Smith.
Pat Smith, a maid at the motel, said Causey told the clerk when he checked in Tuesday night that his identification was in his car, and that the car had been towed.
"He was real friendly," she said. "When they got (Brewer) in the cuffs, (Causey) said, 'Can I get my money back?' He said, 'Can I get a refund?'" Smith hadn't seen Brewer before his arrest, she said.
The pair had been seen Tuesday after their escape in a car authorities allege was driven by Ashley Bostic, 23, of Hopkins. Richland County authorities charged Bostic on Thursday with harboring an escaped convict.
According to arrest warrants, Bostic confessed to driving Causey and Brewer to Ridgeland to help them get away. The car was recovered Tuesday night in Orangeburg County, between Columbia and Ridgeland.
Steven Blair Goodwin, 26, and Kate Tilley, 21, both of Hopkins, also were charged with obstruction of justice and lying to police. Goodwin is Causey's half-brother.
In 2004, Causey, 35, was convicted of holding Columbia attorney Jack Swerling and his family at gunpoint in their home in 2002. Brewer, 39, was convicted in 1999 for strangling his sister-in-law, Kelly Burbage, in 1994.
They've now learned a valuable lesson, says CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann: You don't short-change the pizza deliverywoman.
Latest Now in National
- Search resumes at recycling center in Powell case
- Evening News Online, 02.12.12
- Squatters cite old law to claim homes
- Whitney Houston always remembered in her hometown
- Whitney Houston cause of death under investigation
- Whitney Houston's body moved from hotel
- Induced labor allows dying Texas man see daughter
- Induced labor allows dying Texas man see daughter
- Former Pa. DEP chief on contaminated water from gas drilling
- Whitney Houston's daughter taken in ambulance
- NJ man who shot off-duty officer must pay $5.9M
- Autopsy on Whitney Houston to begin Sunday
- Experts: Stanford's trial not won with 1 witness
- Drillers cut natural gas production as prices drop
- Man charged in plot to kill Utah governor
- Nature: Bobcats riding out the snow
- US seeks to mine social media to predict future
Latest CBS News Headlines
on Facebook Most Discussed Stories
on CBS News
- Syria's rebels "disillusioned" with America
- Search resumes at recycling center in Powell case
- Zambia celebrates as team wins African Cup
- Mickelson snags 40th PGA win at Pebble Beach
on Facebook Most Discussed Stories
on CBS News






