One of the three inmates who escaped from an Arizona prison last summer has been extradited to New Mexico where he will face murder charges in the deaths of a husband and wife from Oklahoma.
Tracy Province, who along with John McCluskey and Daniel Renwick escaped from the Kingman prison in July of last year, was sentenced last week to 38 years in prison for the escape, as well as kidnapping, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and weapons misconduct stemming from crimes committed in Arizona after his escape.
On Saturday, the U.S. Marshal's Service said Province was taken to New Mexico where he will face murder charges in the deaths of Linda and Gary Haas -- both 61 and from Tecumseh, Oklahoma.
Province, McCluskey, and Renwick escaped from the Kingman
Prison -- with the help of McCluskey's fiancee/cousin Casslyn Welch --
on July 30 of last year.
While on the run, authorities say the trio murdered the Hasses.
The victims, who were about to become grandparents, were on their annual summer trip to Colorado when their paths crossed with the escaped inmates.
Authorities believe the couple met the inmates at a rest area along Interstate 40 in eastern New Mexico.
It's
believed the couple were shot in their travel trailer before the
inmates and Welch drove it to a remote area, unhitched the Hass' truck,
and torched the trailer with the bodies of the couple inside.
Province was captured in Wyoming just over a week after escaping from
prison. He later told detectives his plan was to overdose on heroin, go
into the woods, and "become bear food." He said "divine intervention" kept him from carrying out his suicidal plan.
Province, McCluskey, and Welch each face the death penalty if convicted of the murders. Province's first court appearance in New Mexico is scheduled for Wednesday.