UPDATED Wednesday, March 4 — After former Pilger resident Cody Murphree escaped from the Thurston County jail in Pender on Sunday afternoon (March 1), Murphree and an accomplice are now wanted for breaking into a Stanton apartment, assaulting a man and woman at gun-point and stealing a vehicle in town.
Authorities were alerted about the assault on Tuesday around 4:20 p.m. Murphree and a Cedar County man, Derek Pedersen, who are both felons, were alleged to have escaped after the assault in a white 2004 Dodge Stratus, with license plate 53-F198, which was since reported stolen in Stanton County.
Murphree, 26, is around 5’ 10, 140lbs, while Pedersen is 6' and between 190 and 200lbs with blonde/brown hair.
Murphree was observed Sunday afternoon about 2 p.m. northeast of Stanton where he stopped and got gas from a rural residence. He was wearing the clothes he escaped in, a white thermal shirt and shorts and driving a stolen 2013 silver Chevy Malibu, license plate number 55 C 722.
Murphree was charged in connection with the May 26, 2019 robbery of Casey's General Store in Wayne.
Murphree was being held in Thurston County on Stanton and Wayne County charges where he was awaiting sentencing on felony charges that involved being a felon in possession of stolen firearm(s) and armed robbery.
Both men are considered to be dangerous and authorities ask anyone call 911 immediately if either man or the vehicle is spotted. Both are convicted felons facing a number of charges stemming from Tuesday's incident.
