The 2018 miniseriesEscape at Dannemorawas based on the true story of how Richard Matt and David Sweat broke out of prison. Directed by Ben Stiller (Severance,Tropic Thunder) and created by Brett Johnson (Mad Men,Ray Donovan) and Michael Tolkin (The Offer,Ray Donovan),Escape at Dannemorawas released in 2018 exclusively on Showtime. Thecast ofEscape at Dannemorafeatures Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro (Traffic,Sicario), Academy Award winner Patricia Arquette (Boyhood,True Romance), 2-time Emmy nominee Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood,Little Miss Sunshine), and Emmy nominee Bonnie Hunt (The Green Mile,Jerry Maguire).
Escape at Dannemorawas nominated for 12 Emmys in 2019, including Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, two separate Best Writing for a Limited Series nominations, and Outstanding Limited Series, losing toChernobyl. With a Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 88%,Escape at Dannemorais one of the highest-rated limited seriesin recent years. The series is now available to stream on Paramount+ and Netflix, where it currently ranks fourth in Netflix’s Top 10 TV Shows in the United States List. BeforeBen Stiller’sSeveranceseries took offon Apple TV+ in 2022,Escape at Dannemoraproved his directorial ability in television.
How Richard Matt & David Sweat Escaped From The Clinton Correctional Facility In June 2015
They cut holes in their prison cell walls with a hacksaw
As depicted inEscape at Dannemora, Richard Matt (Del Toro) and David Sweat (Dano) escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility in June 2015. The infamous jailbreak occurred on July 04, 2025, after correction officers discovered that both Sweat and Matt were missing from their cells during an early morning bed check. Both Matt and Sweat were convicted murderers and were considered highly dangerous to the general public.Matt and Sweat escaped through holes in the walls of their cells, which they cut using a hacksaw.
Once Matt and Sweat gained access to the utility catwalks behind their cells, they escaped through a large heating pipe that they had also used saws to cut a hole in. For months,Sweat would go into the utility area and cut into the heating pipewhile it was on during the winter months, knowing in the summertime it would be turned off. Matt, who was larger than Sweat, went on an accelerated diet to lose enough weight so that he would be able to slide through the pipe. Ultimately, their plan worked out exactly as they had imagined it would. The pipe led them to a street grate approximately one block from the Clinton Correctional Facility.
Why Richard Matt & David Sweat Were In Prison
Richard Matt and David Sweat were both in prison for murder
Matt was a career criminal, having entered a life of crime at a young age near Buffalo, New York. Matt had been incarcerated for multiple other crimes during the 1980s and 1990s including burglary, theft, and assault. In December 1997, Matt and an accomplice kidnapped Matt’s boss named William Rickerson. Matt intended to rob Rickerson and beat and torture him before killing him by snapping his neck. He dismembered Rickerson’s body and disposed of it in the Niagra River before fleeing to Mexico. After murdering a man in Mexico, he was extradited back to the United States where he was givena 25-to-life sentence for the second-degree murder of Rickerson.
Sweat had committed several burglaries throughout the 1990s and had served prison time before being charged with murder in 2002. Sweat and two accomplices burglarized a fireworks store in Great Bend, Pennsylvania to steal weapons. After returning to New York with the stolen weapons, they were spotted by police officer Kevin Tarisa.Sweat opened fire on Tarisa before running over him with his car. Sweat’s accomplice then delivered two fatal shots to Tarisa’s head. Both Sweat and his accomplice pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in order to avoid capital punishment. They received life sentences without parole.
How Joyce Mitchell Helped Matt & Sweat Escape
She snuck in hacksaw blades and supplies to assist them
Joyce Mitchell, who is portrayed by Patricia Arquette inEscape at Dannemora,played a key role in the prison escape of Richard Matt and David Sweat. Mitchell aided Matt and Sweat by sneaking in supplies for the prisoners that would assist their plans to escape, such as lighted eyeglasses and hacksaw blades. This made it clear thatMitchell was entirely aware that she was helping them escapefrom the Clinton Correctional Facility, her place of employment. Mitchell was also supposed to pick up Matt and Sweat in her car after they escaped but couldn’t make it because she was hospitalized with chest pains.
Joyce Mitchell was the civilian supervisor in Tailor Shop 1, which was one of the several shops that Matt and Sweat had access to as part of a privileged Honor Block of the correctional facility. Corrections officer Eugene Palmer developed a kinship and trust in Matt, which is why he was never frisked when returning from the shop. According to A&E, “Authorities began questioning Mitchell several days after the escape when all of the prison tools had been accounted for and officials speculated that a prison employee might’ve been involved.” This soon led to the arrest of Mitchell in September 2015, who was givena prison sentence of up to seven years in addition to an $80,000 fine.
How Long The Manhunt For Richard Matt & David Sweat Lasted & How They Were Found
The manhunt lasted from June 6 to June 28
Multiple agencies, including the FBI and U.S. Border Control, participated in the manhunt for Matt and Sweat. After three weeks of searching for the escaped prisoners, Matt was discovered by New York state police officers in a camper in Owls Head, New York. Surrounded by law enforcement and holding a shotgun, Matt was given orders to put his weapon down. After he refused, Matt was shot and killed by law enforcement. Sweat, who had left Matt and was determined to get to Canada, continued to evade police by traveling through the wilderness at night. On June 28,he was eventually caught after a trooper in Constable, New York spotted himand shot him just two miles from the Canadian border.
What Happened After Richard Matt & David Sweat Were Caught
Matt was killed by police & Sweat was transferred to another prison
Richard Matt was killed by law enforcement on June 26 after he refused to put down his weapon. Sweat was brought to a hospital in Albany after being shot and captured by law enforcement. He was promptly interrogated and has been held at Five Points Correctional Facility in Romulus, New York ever since. Joyce Mitchell was released from a Connecticut prison in February 2020. She has expressed remorse for her decision to help Matt and Sweat escape as depicted inEscape at Dannemora.
Escape At Dannemora
Cast
Escape at Dannemora is a crime drama based on a real-life prison break in upstate New York. The series explores the complex relationships and manipulations among two convicted murderers and the facility’s staff member who becomes entangled in their escape plan, revealing underlying themes of desperation and vulnerability.
