The man police are working to build a murder case against for the disappearance of toddler Lonzie Barton is now accused of trying to escape from jail.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is charging William Ruben Ebron with attempted escape, criminal conspiracy, unlawful possession of a concealed handcuff key, and introducing or smuggling contraband into a detention facility.
On Monday, investigators met with a jail inmate housed with Ebon. He said Ebon was discussing an escape plan with him involving a shaped orange piece of plastic that Ebon was hiding in his mouth and sock.
According to police, Ebon told the inmate his plan was to use the key to unlock his handcuffs while in the jail van was taking him to court. He would then open the van door, jump out, and run on foot to a vehicle waiting nearby.
Ebon told the inmate his intended getaway driver was incarcerated, so they’d have to find another one.
The inmate and Ebron continued discussing their plan to escape together.
According to JSO, the inmate later had a recorded conversation with Ebron. Ebon provided the inmate with the orange plastic handcuff key so he could use it to escape with him. Ebron said he had another handcuff key for himself. The inmate later gave the orange plastic key to police.
The two later had another recorded conversation. Ebon told the inmate he needed to do more grinding on the plastic key and shave it a certain way so it could be used to unlock handcuffs. Ebon told him he tried using the key during his trip to court in Baker County but it did not work. It was after the second recording when the inmate told police about Ebon’s second key, which was black and looked like a handcuff key.
JSO says in the recordings, Ebron never denies any statements regarding the escape plan or questioned the inmate as to what he was talking about. At one point the inmate said he was nervous when officers came straight to Ebron’s cell to search it after he left for court in Baker County. Ebron reportedly laughed at the inmate.
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