Two guards killed in Missouri jail; suspects caught in Kansas

HUNTSVILLE, Mo. - A man and woman rang the night bell at the county jail and opened fire when they were let in Thursday, killing two guards in a botched attempt to spring an inmate.

After gunning down the guards, one of whom was a city councilman who had pushed for beefed-up security at the Randolph County Jail, the killers searched for the key to the inmate's cell but couldn't find it and fled.

The suspects, Michael Tisius, 19, and Tracy Bullington, 27, were captured unarmed about nine hours later after a police officer spotted them walking along a Kansas highway 130 miles away. They did not resist.

Tisius and Bullington were charged with murder. Bullington was also charged with trying to help a prisoner escape.

Guards Leon Egley, 33, a Huntsville city councilman and jail supervisor, and Jason Acton, 36, a jail guard on the job for two months, were both shot repeatedly with a pistol. Both were unarmed because county policy prohibits weapons inside the jail.

''It was cold-blooded,'' said Acton's brother Allen. ''They could have handcuffed them or something. They didn't have to just start shooting. We're all in a state of shock. It was so cold and unnecessary.''

Authorities said the suspects were trying to free Bullington's boyfriend, Roy Vance, who was transferred recently to Randolph County after trying to escape from the Macon County Jail. Vance had been in the Macon County Jail 15 times on drug and property damage charges.

Bullington had herself been in and out of jail on charges including drug offenses.

The shootings took place just after midnight, after they rang the overnight buzzer.

Randolph County Sheriff Don Ancell said jailers routinely let people in unless they look dangerous. ''People stop in at all hours,'' he said. ''If they're not standing there with a gun in their hand, they let them in.''

Afer the shooting, the jail's 36 inmates were moved to other jails. Ancell said he will keep the jail shut until a bulletproof barrier separating inmates and guards can be installed.

Egley and other community members had been pushing for a new jail with increased security. Voters have repeatedly defeated ballot measures to pay for a new jail, most recently in November.