Michael McLellan, 40, was convicted of murdering 13-year-old Hania Noelia Aguilar in North Carolina
A convicted killer tried to escape from prison twice in one day, breaking free from his handcuffs using homemade keys and getting his hands on an officer’s gun.
Michael McLellan, 40, was convicted of murdering 13-year-old Hania Noelia Aguilar in North Carolina in 2018. McLellan pleaded guilty to the teen’s killing and appeared in Robeson County Courthouse in Lumberton on Friday where he was sentenced to life behind bars.
But that same day, the convicted killer allegedly tried to escape from custody twice – once on his way to court and once on his way back from his sentencing.
Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins told WRAL News that, during his first attempt, McLellan used the homemade key to try to free himself from his leg restraints in the car on the way to the courthouse.
Officials noticed something was going on and stopped him.
On the way back from the courthouse, the inmate allegedly tried again.
That time, McLellan was able to remove a “black box” – an item connected to other chains – using a second homemade key as the vehicle traveled along Interstate 40, said Wilkins.
“He was able to get all that off of him in the back seat. The next thing they know, he’s reaching through what is an air vent that goes underneath the plexiglass,” Wilkins told WRAL.
A struggle broke out and McLellan managed to grab a deputy’s gun, the sheriff said.
“He was able to hit the latch that undoes the gun in the holster and actually have control of the weapon,” Wilkins said.
The deputy behind the wheel slammed the brakes on while another officer fired pepper spray in McLellan’s face, the sheriff said.
McLellan gave in, saying “I surrender” and letting go of the gun, Wilkins said.
During the encounter, the convicted killer also reportedly said “you’re going to love this” – believed to be referring to his escape plan.
McLellan had been behind bars since December 2018 when he was arrested for Aguilar’s kidnap, rape and murder.
The teen was abducted from her driveway and thrown into a family member’s idling SUV in the Rosewood Mobile Home Park in Lumberton on November 5 2018.
Weeks later on November 27 2018, her naked and partially decomposed body was found off a rural road. She had injuries consistent with sexual abuse, reported WRAL.
McLellan was arrested on December 8 2018 and originally charged with first-degree murder, first-degree rape, first-degree forced sex offense, statutory rape of a child, statutory sex offense with a child, first-degree kidnapping, felonious restraint, abduction of a child, concealing the death of a child and larceny of a motor vehicle.
He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder.