Man Wanted for 2021 Murder in Minnesota Mistakenly Released from Indianapolis Jail



INDIANAPOLIS — Authorities are offering a reward of up to $10,000 as they intensify efforts to locate a man wanted for a 2021 homicide in Minnesota, who was mistakenly released from jail in Indianapolis last week.


Kevin Mason, 28, was apprehended in Indianapolis on September 11, but an initial review revealed that he was erroneously released on September 13 due to a clerical error by personnel in the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.


In a press conference held on Thursday, the sheriff's office announced that the U.S. Marshals Office is now offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to Mason’s recapture. Colonel James Martin of the sheriff’s office emphasized their unwavering commitment to ensuring that Mason is returned to custody, stating, "We will not stop, and we will not sleep until he is back in custody."


Overnight Wednesday, more than 300 officers from local law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Marshals Service launched a manhunt in Indianapolis and surrounding areas in pursuit of Mason, according to The Indianapolis Star.


Officials deliberately waited six days before publicly disclosing Mason’s mistaken release, a strategy described by Martin as a "tactical advantage" aimed at preventing him from going underground.


A reward poster issued by the U.S. Marshals Service suggests that Mason may be in either Indianapolis or the Minneapolis area. As of Friday morning, Mason remained at large, according to Allison Marshall, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office.


The sheriff’s office has since revealed that Mason left Indianapolis on the evening of September 13, and the U.S. Marshals Service has assumed control of the search for him. Authorities have been in communication with law enforcement agencies in areas where Mason is believed to have connections, although specific details were not provided. The sheriff’s office has also reiterated its request for the public to share any tips about Mason’s whereabouts with investigators.


Mason was taken into custody in Indianapolis on three separate warrants, including one for murder, from three different jurisdictions. He stands accused of the murder of Dontevius A. Catchings, 29, in June 2021 outside a Minneapolis church following a mutual friend's funeral.


On Wednesday, the sheriff’s office announced that Mason’s 29-year-old girlfriend had been arrested on charges related to assisting a criminal. Allegedly, she picked up Mason in her vehicle on September 13 after his accidental release and subsequently procured a cellphone and purchased men’s clothing and toiletries.


Online court records do not currently indicate formal charges against Mason's girlfriend in connection with the incident.