ORIENT, Ohio — Longtime fugitive Frank Freshwaters, who was on the lam for the past 56 years after escaping the Sandusky Honor Farm, was extradited from Florida to Ohio on Tuesday.
The 79-year-old is currently being held in the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, Ohio, said JoEllen Smith, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
Freshwaters originally pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in 1957, but his sentence was suspended and he was given probation for five years. On Feb. 19, 1959, Freshwaters was found guilty of violating his probation and his original sentence of 1-20 years was imposed.
Freshwaters was admitted to the Ohio State Reformatory on Feb. 26, 1959. He was incarcerated for approximately seven months between the Ohio State Reformatory and the Sandusky Honor Farm before escaping on Sept. 30, 1959.
On Monday, May 4, Freshwaters was apprehended under the alias “William Harold Cox” after an extensive investigation by the new Cold Case Unit of the U.S. Marshal’s Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force.
A Florida judge ruled on Monday, May 18 that Freshwaters be extradited, denying his attempt to contest the move, according to a report by the Northeast Ohio Media Group.
“His sentence is being recalculated based on his time at large and time spent in custody to determine his parole board hearing eligibility date,” Smith said.
She added that his parent institution will be determined during the reception process.
