Carter County Sheriff Believes Escaped Inmate, Missing Man Are Connected | WJHL

Photos: Billy Fletcher (left) and Victor Birchfield (right), courtesy of CCSO and TBI respectively.

CARTER COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – The Carter County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) has confirmed that the case of a missing man and an escaped inmate are being investigated as related incidents.

On June 20, Billy Fletcher, a 43-year-old inmate, reportedly walked out of his job at the county detention center. Fletcher was serving a three-year prison sentence for violating his probation.

Victor Birchfield, 61, was last seen on June 19 and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) issued a Silver Alert for him on June 22.

On Monday, Carter County Sheriff Mike Fraley released a statement saying investigators believe the two men came into contact with each other.

“We are continuing our investigation in conjunction with other local and state agencies as well as authorities in other states. We believe that at some point after Fletcher's escape, he came into contact with Mr. Birchfield.”

Carter County Sheriff Mike Fraley

The sheriff's office did not provide any additional information Monday.

The CCSO reported Friday that Birchfield's vehicle, a silver 2003 Toyota 4Runner with rear-end damage, was spotted in the Clemson, South Carolina, area.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) announced Sunday that Fletcher was believed to be in South Carolina after being spotted leaving a Walmart in Greenville County.

Fletcher is described as 6'2″ and weighs approximately 230 pounds. He has blue eyes and brown hair. Anyone who sees him is advised to call 911 immediately and not approach him.

Birchfield has gray hair and hazel eyes. He is 5'10″ and weighs approximately 170 pounds. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call CCSO at 423-542-1845 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.