Fugitive Found Hiding in Dryer After Two-Month Manhunt

David Jerome Jackson, a fugitive on the run for nearly two months, was finally apprehended on Friday after he was discovered hiding inside the drum of a home's clothes dryer. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office said that the 31-year-old was found in a residence on Edgewater Drive in Pensacola.

David Jerome Jackson, a fugitive on the run for nearly two months, was taken into custody on Friday after he was found hiding inside the drum of a home's clothes dryer.

The Escambia County Sheriff's Office said that Jackson, 31, was wanted on charges of firing a gun into a dwelling, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, damage to property, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The charges stem from an incident on March 15, 2024.

On Friday, deputies received a tip that Jackson was inside a house on Edgewater Drive in Pensacola and they were issued a warrant to execute at the residence.

Deputies executed the search warrant and entered the home to look for Jackson. After an extensive search, deputies entered the laundry room and discovered Jackson folded up inside a "remarkably small dryer drum," the sheriff’s office said, adding the look on his face was "a combination of guilt, embarrassment, and warm hosiery."

"He was pulled from the dryer one limb at a time, as he clung to his tumble-ready hideout," the sheriff’s office said. "Outside the dryer, deputies removed three dryer sheets, two mismatched socks, and a crumpled-up tissue from his surprisingly wrinkled Star Wars shirt."

Jackson was arrested and booked into the county jail. The sheriff’s office noted that all suspects are presumed innocent and “free of static cling,” until proven otherwise in a court of law.

The arrest of Jackson is a reminder of the importance of community policing and the dedication of law enforcement officers in the pursuit of justice. It also highlights the need for support for those struggling with mental health issues and the importance of seeking help when needed.