Prison escapee and convicted murderer captured in Merced County

FRESNO, Calif. -- The Merced County Sheriff's Office tells Action News they've caught the convicted murderer, Jeffery Scott Landers, who escaped while being transported from Wasco State Prison to Stockton, California.

Deputies from the Merced County Sheriff's Office Supervised Release Team tracked Landers to an Orchard, East of Bell Drive and North of Arena Way, in Atwater.

Landers was spotted sitting on the ground about 30 rows into an orchard. Deputies snuck up on him, and when they got close enough, they gave orders for him to lay down. He complied with their orders and was taken into custody without incident.

Deputies say Landers had a blue Atwater Falcons sweatshirt with him. It's believed he found it in a nearby trash pile.

The State of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation released the following statement to Action News:

ESCAPEE APPREHENDED RETURNED TO WASCO STATE PRISON- RECEPTION CENTER

WASCO -Jeffrey Landers, 34, was arrested on August 3, 2014, at approximately 02:10 P.M in an orchard by the Merced County Sheriff's Office and placed into police custody without any use of force. Inmate Landers had a 10- inch screwdriver in his possession. Wasco State Prison-Reception Center (WSP-RC) Staff will return him to prison custody today.

On August 2, 2014, approximately 05:39 P.M., officials at WSP-RC received information that Jeffrey Scott Landers, had escaped while on a transport.

Jeffrey Landers, 34, was received at WSP-RC from Riverside County on November 19, 2013, for the commitment offense of 1st Degree Murder and had an enhancement for Personal Use of a Dangerous or Deadly Weapon where he received a Life sentence.

WSP-RC's primary mission is to provide short-term housing necessary to process, classify, and evaluate new inmates physically and mentally, and determine their security level, program requirements and appropriate institutional placement. WSP-RC was opened February 1991, houses approximately 5,000 inmates and employs approximately 1,700 people.