Escaped Jail Inmate Now Suspected of Murder
by Jonathan Weaver and David Croyle
Robert Edward Crissman left through an open door of the Armstrong County Jail in Rayburn Township jail about 6:30AM yesterday. He is now considered “armed and dangerous” after being a homicide suspect after his escape and flee from State, local and regional officials.
The inmate on-the-run from the Armstrong County Jail is not only still missing more than 24 hours later, but he is now a homicide suspect.
Robert E. Crissman, 38, was originally jailed in the Rayburn Township facility since last week on a probation order, but slipped through an order door of the facility around 7AM yesterday.
Sheriff Bill Rupert said Crissman was an inside trustee at the jail, and was considered non-violent.
“In the mornings whenever the van comes to the back where the kitchen is, they use the trustees to carry the breakfast trays in – that’s when instead of getting out to carry the trays in, he just took off,” Sheriff Rupert said.
Crissman, originally from the Templeton area, is described as being 5′ 9″ tall, weighing 150 pounds, with strawberry-blonde hair, blue eyes, and possibly wearing a dark green jail jumpsuit.
He was last seen heading toward State Route 85 in Rayburn Township. It is reported that Crissman went to the home of Tammy Long at 110 Rayburn Road where he talked with her and her boyfriend, Jerry Slagle. Her boyfriend left for work, and when he returned in the afternoon, Long was dead. Crissman allegedly stole guns from the home as well as a maroon 1999 Chevrolet Silverado Extended Cab, with Pennsylvania Registration ZDB-5831. There is also a union carpenter sticker on the back window of the cab of the truck.
While Pennsylvania State Police troopers continued to look for Crissman overnight, Sheriff Rupert and his deputies continue the manhunt at 8AM this morning in various corners of the county and now throughout western Pennsylvania.
It is unknown if he is still in the immediate area, after several reports of sightings in both Armstrong and Allegheny Counties since yesterday afternoon.
Several reports of sightings of Crissman were fielded by officers, including by Kittanning Borough Police, yesterday afternoon and evening during the Fort Armstrong Folk Festival, but none produced any leads according to County Sheriff Bill Rupert. State Police troopers continued the search overnight and County officials continued their search at 8AM this morning.
One caller told 9-1-1 dispatchers Crissman was in the area of Sprankle’s Neighborhood Market wearing a hat and jeans about 4:45PM, but Kittanning Borough Chief Bruce Mathews and Officer Kyle Lewis did not find any clues after investigating the lead, and another caller thought they saw the vehicle in the Franklin Village Mall shopping plaza in East Franklin Township before and during last night’s Fort Armstrong Folk Festival downtown.
“We chased out some leads overnight –nothing turned out to be credible,” Sheriff Rupert said.
A mobile command area was set up in a trailer in the jail’s parking lot near the intersection of State Route 85 and State Route 28/66 yesterday during the investigation, as well as State units surrounded the scene of the alleged homicide he is connected with, though State officials did not verify details yesterday.
County deputies also patrolled the area near Crooked Creek Horse Park in Manor and Bethel Townships before the end of the evening as well to no avail.
State Police troopers have also interviewed many families in the surrounding area. Family members and friends, including his former employer Barry Crytzer, owner of the Horse Trader, described Crissman as being a “quiet” individual who had a drug problem. District Attorney Scott Andreassi said Crissman had been in jail just over a week and suspected that his drug problem could possibly be a reason for his current behavior.
If seen, officials are asking that residents contact the Armstrong County Jail or the Pennsylvania State Police at 724-543-2011 as Crissman is regarded as “armed and dangerous.”
Local News | KP NewsDesk July 31, 2015
By ktown_kid, July 31, 2015 @ 9:04 AM
Sounds to me that the jail failed to do their job. Where was the C.O. at? Why didnt anyone chase him? He’ll get a slap on the wrist if caught alive anyways, we all saw what the last fine citizens of kittanning received for tye wick city incident.
By wonderwhy, July 31, 2015 @ 9:12 AM
How did he get the job as a Trustee when he was in jail for such a short time? He earned that withing a week? Was there a guard supervising the prisoners carrying in the trays? A high percentage of the prisoners are in there for crimes involving drugs and alcohol. Why is there no mandatory rehab in this jail there are in other counties. Then after the prisoner completes the rehab then they can have work release, trustee staus, etc. the prisoners now just sit around all day and talk about drugs, meet more dealers, etc. Have ARC Manor conduct 28 day rehab sessions at the jail instead of them sitting around all day, maybe they can reach one person. The way things are right now nothing is being accomplished. It is all about making money anyways. There have been suicides in this jail, now an escaped prisoner that committed murder. Maybe we need a new Warden.
By admin, July 31, 2015 @ 9:25 AM
According to the Pennsylvania State Police, Crissman is now in custody. More developments as they happen available on the hour on WTYM AM 1380 radio. Download the free app at the app store on your tablet or mobile device to listen anytime, anywhere.
By jorn jensen, July 31, 2015 @ 10:59 AM
Why is there even a ‘trustee’ program? These people are jailed for a reason - this is not a country club. Who comes up with this kind of inmate management bungling? Some management heads need to roll over this - I’d expect no less.
This guy was obviously on-the-run - that means he’d need cash to keep going - that means that other peoples’ lives were ‘at-risk’ of armed robbery and such, once a murder had already been committed.
RIP Tammy Long - you did not deserve to die for this. My condolences to the family of Tammy Long.
Perhaps the anti-Bennett liberals will want to blame the gun for this crime. I blame a lax jail management system for this even happening. Management heads need to roll out there by Kiddieland. Is there strong-enough county leadership to take action?
By jerry6, August 2, 2015 @ 9:48 PM
Jorn: You put something nice on here about Tammy Long and you have to ruin it by mentioning liberals and guns. You have a one track mind and you don’t sound sincere when you put something like that on.
I was told by a good source that the assistant warden at the jail was fired for stealing money and it was kept very quiet. It depends who you are and something like that would be kept quiet. I think that whole jail system needs some changes.
By blutoblutarsky, August 3, 2015 @ 8:14 AM
“Trustee” programs have been around for a long time. This isn’t a new concept or something specific to the AC jail. Trustees are inmate workers. The idea is to save taxpayers money by having inmates work at correctional facilities instead of hiring someone. You would think a former commissioner candidate would be aware of these things.
Jerry- The gun comment is his new way of trolling. He makes one comment on the article topic and then adds a comment that will obviously start an argument(see the abortion comment on the other thread). After an argument ensues, he’ll pretend like he had nothing to do with it.
The jail will always have inmate trustees unless you want to spend more taxpayer money at the jail. I think where the problem occured is with how easily he became a trustee in such a short time.
By Just sayin, August 3, 2015 @ 9:33 AM
“jorn” trouble, again. You sound deranged when you add liberal bashing to everything. Really, it had to go here on this thread?
Why the heck are you talking about guns when Tammy wasn’t even killed by a gun? Crissman stole guns. Period.
By Rat_Smeller, August 3, 2015 @ 11:39 AM
According to the ME report - the victim died of strangulation and blunt force trauma to the head. No need to bring up the second amendment here.
By Just sayin, August 3, 2015 @ 5:40 PM
RIP, Tammy. Don’t rest in peace, R.Crissman.
By Marc, August 3, 2015 @ 11:28 PM
Seriously Jensen, what the heck is wrong with you???
By wonderwhy, August 4, 2015 @ 7:33 AM
How does a prisoner get trustee status within that short a time. He was incarcerated the Friday before he escaped. I don’t care if you give them jobs inside the jail, but they still need supervised. This warden needs replaced.
By jorn jensen, August 4, 2015 @ 2:36 PM
I like to swat the liberal nest and get them a-buzz - works every time.
It was reported, early on, that it was a beating/strangulation murder and that guns were taken. No guns were used in the crime. So, you stir the liberals a bit by mentioning guns and get them all a-buzzing.
A gun is a tool - it requires an ‘actor’ - a human. Beating/strangulation also requires an actor - the tool is the hands. So, using liberal logic, let’s blame guns.
Aside from that, what is going to be done about a jail where an inmate merely ‘walks away’?
By blutoblutarsky, August 4, 2015 @ 3:23 PM
So you chose one of the bigger tragedies our area has seen in the past few years to make a sad attempt at interjecting politics? Nobody brought up guns except you.
If you’re making a list of tools you should add yourself to it.
By steve, August 4, 2015 @ 5:17 PM
Nobody bit on Jensen’s original gun comment and he just couldn’t help himself… he had to mention it again. A local woman’s life was brutally taken and he’s using it to troll “liberals” on the local blog? Come on man, grow up!
And all of the conservatives here wonder why people rip on this dimwit…
By worthingtonman, August 4, 2015 @ 6:52 PM
Warden fired . Only solution. He was responsible for the jail.
By Marc, August 4, 2015 @ 7:38 PM
Nobody was “buzzing” about guns. Everyone who responded to you can’t believe you’re having fun with the comments on this article. You’re an ignorant piece of trash. I wonder if your family is proud of your juvenile behavior.
By jerry6, August 4, 2015 @ 8:54 PM
Jensen If you want to offer sympathy after someone dies that is good but you should have put the garbage about liberals and guns on another blog.
I am so glad you didn’t get the commissioner’s job because you are too nasty and could never be decent to a liberal if you had to work with one. You deserve all the criticism you get on here by the stuff you write and I know you get your jollies out of running down liberals but you are a poor excuse for a conservative.
By jd718, August 5, 2015 @ 8:02 AM
He did the same thing with the Wick-City murder he has no empathy for anything unless it’s about him.
Who was it that said (leave him alone he’s a nice guy) at election time? Well, he does not seem so nice now on this thread, no respect for what happened to this nice lady.
“I like to swat the liberal nest and get them a-buzz – works every time.”
Someone should swat your head! Fool..
By mad-2010, August 5, 2015 @ 8:35 AM
RIP Tammy Long…
I will not waste the time to comment about Jensen at a time like this!
By blutoblutarsky, August 5, 2015 @ 5:45 PM
Good call Mad. I should have done the same. What a tragedy for our area.
By Just sayin, August 7, 2015 @ 12:55 PM
jorn: Your liberal bashing here is inexcusable.
By Marc, August 10, 2015 @ 9:56 AM
just sayin, Hopefully voters remember this next time Jorn tries running for any type of office.