From WRIL -
The man who stabbed a local Southeast College professor in 2017 and was sentenced to prison but then escaped a halfway house was seen in Claiborne County Thursday night November 19, 2020.
The Claiborne County Sheriff's Department posted on their social media that: "officers were called to the 200 block of Little Sycamore Road.
Upon arrival, officers found out that a male by the name of Harold Von Royce Hatfield had just fled the scene. Officers were previously made aware that Mr. Hatfield is wanted for escape out of the state of Kentucky. A perimeter was set in place while officers waited for Knox County Sheriff‘s office aviation unit to bring a helicopter to the scene. Knox County used FLIR to search for the suspect but were unable to locate him. Please be advised that, due to Mr. Hatfield’s previous criminal history, he is to be considered armed and dangerous. If you see him or come into contact with him, please do not approach, immediately call 911"
43 year old Harold Von Royce Hatfield was given a 10 year sentence for stabbing Professor Jamie Vaught at his residence. On April 12, 2017 Professor Vaught and his wife were awakened around 4:30 when their dog was barking at something outside the home.
Police are saying that Vaught went to his front door and open it to see what the commotion was about. That’s when a male subject, later identified as 43 year old Harold Hatfield - also known as Von Royce Hatfield, stabbed Vaught three times in the neck and chest. Hatfield and Vaught struggled briefly and Hatfield fled the scene on foot.
Middlesboro Police issued a warrant for Hatfield for first degree assault and he was later apprehended in Claiborne County, then transferred back to Bell County. He was sentenced in August of 2018 in Bell County Circuit Court to 10 years in prison. It is unknown how he was released to the Bluegrass Career Development Center in Richmond, Kentucky. The center represents itself as a re-entry service center akin to a halfway house.