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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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6

Cops Catch Insane Killer Who Fled Field Trip in Wash.

Phillip Paul sparked state manhunt

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(Newser) – A schizophrenic killer who ducked out of a mental hospital field trip has been caught in south-central Washington, the Spokesman-Review reports. Phillip A. Paul, 47, slipped away at the Spokane County Interstate Fair on Thursday and triggered a police manhunt. A sherriff's deputy caught him today trying to hitch a ride in the Goldendale, Wash., area, the AP reports.

State officials have launched an investigation into why Paul was allowed on a field trip, and why his mental hospital didn't notify authorities for 2 hours. Paul was committed for the 1987 strangling and stabbing murder of 78-year-old Ruth Mottley. After killing her, Paul covered her in gasoline and buried her in her flower garden. He said disembodied voices had warned him Mottley was a witch.

This image provided by the Spokane County Sheriff's Office shows 57-year-old Phillip Arnold Paul.
This image provided by the Spokane County Sheriff's Office shows 57-year-old Phillip Arnold Paul.   (AP Photo/Spokane County Sheriff's Office)
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6 comments
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justme
Sep 20, 09 7:37 PM CDT
Gone two hours be you call the cops. It takes that long to figure out how to CYA? Glad they caught the guy before anyone was hurt. Reply
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Jojo
Sep 20, 09 8:39 PM CDT
I know you can't judge a book by it's cover, but isn't it a little freaky that he looks just like anyone you would pass on the street and not even notice anything unusual? Reply
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United_States_of_Entertainment
Sep 20, 09 8:42 PM CDT
A mental hospital field trip....LOL Reply
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+3
Are_you--Nobody--Too
Sep 21, 09 12:57 AM CDT
The picture caption says it shows this guy when he's 57 years old. The article says he's 47 years old at the time he slipped away from the field trip. Man, this guy IS elusive. Reply
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Circusdog
Sep 21, 09 9:15 AM CDT
I'll repeat mental hospital field trip...WTF...don't they have meds to take them to fantasyland? Reply
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+1

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