Sheriff reveals which escaped inmate fired deadly shots on prison bus

PUTNAM COUNTY, Ga. — Investigators say two inmates escaped from a prison transport bus in June and killed the two officers on board.

The Putnam County Sheriff spoke to Channel 2's Mark Winne just after he testified in front of a grand jury Monday afternoon.

Sheriff Howard Sills outlined and added considerable detail about the case against two state prisoners, Donnie Russell Rowe and Ricky Dubose, who are accused of killing Sgt. Curtis Billue and Sgt. Christopher Monica.

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The sheriff said he made separate presentations to the grand jury for each suspect.

“I brought forward the evidence that we have for indictment,” he explained.

The sheriff says once inside, he outlined and added considerable detail about the case against the two men.

Sills said the separate presentations are necessary when the death penalty is sought. He says district attorney Stephen Bradley plans to seek the death penalty for Rowe and Dubose if the proposed indictments against each are true-billed and the inmates are convicted.

“Did you tell them who fired the fatal shots?" Winne asked.

"I did," Sills said.

"According to our investigation, who fired the fatal shots as far as the corrections officers were concerned?" Winne asked.

"That would be Ricky Dubose, but I stress to you, too, that they were both acting as parties in the same criminal act,” Sills said.

As the two suspects headed out of the courtroom after an earlier hearing, Winne fired a question at the pair about how they were going plead.

Dubose seemed to say "not guilty" in response.

“The one thing that has given us the strength to carry on is our faith. Our parents instilled that in us in an early age and we know that it’s the only thing that’s gonna sustain us, no matter what you go through if you have that faith it will get you through,” Denise Billue said.

Billue was a 10-year veteran of the Department of Corrections. The 58-year-old was also a father of two.

“We know that justice will be served and based on what took place we know that based on what took place it was a calculated, evil, senseless act of murder that has forever changed the dynamics of our family,” said Denise Billue, Billue's sister.

Monica, 48, worked for the department for eight years. He was married with two daughters.

Cox Media Group