Media

Man Escapes from Shelby County Jail

Release Date: October 11, 2004

A search is on for a man who escaped from the Shelby County Jail this evening. Jail officials are looking for Greg Riley, 37, of Memphis. Riley was in jail awaiting a court hearing for First Degree Murder. He had been booked into the jail on September 1, 2004, by Memphis Police.

Riley was last seen playing basketball at the jail’s Fifth Floor outside gym about 5:25 p.m. Jail records indicated he was returned to his cell on the Fourth Floor about 6:40 p.m.

However, when the jail staff made a routine inmate count just after 9:20 this evening, Riley was not in the cell with his cell mate. Investigators say it was apparent Riley had not been returned to his cell as originally reported.

Corrections deputies then went to the gym and found that Riley had climbed a chain link fence, bent sections of razor wire at the top of the security fence, and lowered himself down the north side of the jail along Poplar Avenue with a bed sheet.

His jail issued dark blue shirt was found near the bed sheet at the foot of the building. Blood was found on the outside of the fence indicating Riley might have been cut during the escape.

An internal investigation is underway about the escape. Greg Riley’s last known address is 980 Mosby Street in the Dixie Homes Housing Development in North Memphis near downtown. Riley has a history of escape. He escaped from the Shelby County Corrections Center back in 1996.

Greg Riley is black, stands about 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds. He has a goatee and may be wearing grey pants. He has also gone by the alias names of Gregg Crutcher and Kevin Newcomb.

Anyone with information about Grey Riley’s whereabouts should immediately contact the Sheriff’s Office at (901) 379-7625 or any law enforcement agency.