Escaped Inmate Kills Woman: Robert Crissman Enters Home Then Strangles And Beats Woman To Death


An escaped inmate killed a woman inside her western Pennsylvania home Thursday morning. Authorities captured Robert Crissman on Friday after a one-day manhunt.

Police say inmate, Robert Crissman, “walked away” from the Armstrong County Jail on Thursday morning and killed Tammy Long, 55, following his escape, according to a report by CNN.

Crissman, 38, was in jail for nonviolent offenses, but is now being charged with murder, theft of a gun, two trucks, and a television set. He’s also being charged aggravated assault on a police officer. Armstrong County District Attorney, Scott Andreassi, read off the charges in a statement at a news conference on Friday.

The district attorney said that Crissman was delivering morning breakfast trays at 6:35 a.m. Thursday when he escaped. Crissman then apparently walked to a home very close to the jail. Andreassi says the escaped inmate knew the woman he killed. Long lived at the home with her companion, Terry Slagle, whom Crissman knew.

“They were familiar to the point where he was allowed in voluntarily,” Andreassi said.

Armstrong Couny Coroner, Brian Myers, said the victim was found dead inside the bathroom of the home.

Andreassi tells WPXI 11 that more than likely Slagle didn’t know that Crissman was in jail for anything.

“We know he entered the home with no permission and we know that one of those individuals left for work about 15 minutes later. We also know that when he returned home from work around 2:45 p.m., he found his girlfriend, the victim in this case, Tammy Long, 55, deceased.”

Crissman beat and strangled Long after he was allowed inside the home. A police officer said Crissman allegedly escaped in a stolen pickup truck of Long’s and was on the run for a day. He never got more than 12 miles from the jail, however.

Police were able to narrow down the escaped inmate’s whereabouts when calls came in about an abandoned vehicle matching the description of the one Crissman took. There were other calls from witnesses who said they noticed Crissman walking around and carrying a gas can. He eventually knocked on one woman’s door asking for help, but she recognized him, locked the door, and called 911.

Police say Crissman stole another vehicle, which led them on another chase covering several miles that ended until he rammed into a police cruiser.

It’s unknown what motive the escaped inmate had for killing a woman whose home was within site of the jail he was in.

[Photo Credit: WPXI 11 News/Twitter]

Share this article: Escaped Inmate Kills Woman: Robert Crissman Enters Home Then Strangles And Beats Woman To Death
More from Inquisitr