That changed on Nov. 17, 1987, when [Richard Lee McNair] broke into the Minot Farmers Union grain elevator. A grain elevator employee, Richard Kitzman, caught McNair in the act and was shot four times. The employee survived.

McNair was tied to the slaying weeks later when police found items stolen at the elevator on McNair's property. One report said police also found poems and short stories by McNair in which he described shooting people in their eyes to watch them die.

McNair has been trying to escape prison ever since, finally succeeding in April. Police believe he hid in one of several mailbags that ended up on a shipping pallet. It was then wrapped in shrink wrap and taken away to a nearby warehouse. Once inside the unguarded warehouse, police believe McNair wiggled out of the mailbag and walked to freedom.