Wife of inmate helped plan escape, report says

KINGMAN, AZ - Investigators in northwest Arizona believe the wife of a jail escapee played a key role.

Mohave County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Trish Carter says receipts seized from 24-year-old Ashley Morrison's apartment show she purchased four sets of handcuff keys online Nov. 28.

Investigators think Ashley Morrison hid handcuff keys under chairs in the courtroom one month prior to the escape.

The Kingman Daily Miner reports that while going over jail conversations between Ashley and Darren Morrison, detectives noted one particular communication where Darren told his wife to place "the gift under the right side of the seat."

Security searched courtrooms and three sets of handcuff keys were found between the cushions and armrest of multiple chairs in the jury box. One set was missing and authorities think it was used by Morrison. Darren Morrison was caught Monday.