According State Troopers, Wilson Beaver and Carl Konig escaped from Bethel’s Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center this morning by wriggling their way through a storm grate.
Beaver and Konig were last seen at the jail at about 11:30 p.m. on Friday. State Trooper Nicholas Hayes said, “they should be considered very dangerous.”
Beaver, age 43, was convicted in June of burglary and sexual assault for breaking into a woman’s home in Napaskiak last year, threatening her with a knife, and sexually assaulting her. He was due to be sentenced on September 21. According to Hayes, who works with the Troopers' Violent Offenders Unit, Beaver is going to serve a minimum of 35 years in prison.
“He’s looking at being in jail until he’s an old man," said Hayes. "So at this point, I don’t think he has very much to lose.”
Hayes added that Beaver was also convicted of sexual assault about 10 years ago and is a registered sex offender.
Konig, age 31, escaped YKCC with Beaver. Hayes said that Konig has a long history of assaults and was being held awaiting trial on two counts of assault in the third degree, one of which involves the intent to injure another person with a weapon. He is also charged with resisting or interfering with an arrest. Konig’s trial is scheduled for September 5.
Hayes said that the Troopers are not sure why Konig and Beaver decided to escape at this point. They are currently conducting interviews with the men that the two inmates shared a dorm with. Warrants have been issued for Konig and Beaver’s arrests, and bail for both men has been set at $75,000.
The Troopers have alerted local airlines to the jailbreak and are confident that Beaver and Konig will not be able to escape the area by plane. Officers from at least six different law enforcement agencies are looking for them and Hayes says that it won’t be long before the inmates are back in custody. However, Bethel residents should still be cautious.
"Lock your doors, make sure your keys are out of your boats, out of your four-wheelers," Hayes said. "They’re going to want to get out of the area until the heat dies down."
If you have any information about Konig or Beaver’s whereabouts, call the State Troopers immediately at 907-543-2294. You can also call the Bethel Police at 907-543-3781. According to Hayes, law enforcement will accept tips anonymously.