Manhunt for Escaped Murderer in Arkansas

A manhunt for an escaped prisoner who was nearing the end of his sentence for murdering his wife entered its third day today with a dragnet through a wooded area near the Arkansas prison.

Timothy Buffington was on work duty at Pine Bluff prison in Jefferson County, Ark., when he made a run for it on Saturday evening, according to ABC News affiliate KATV in Arkansas.

Police told KATV that he held a woman hostage as he escaped, but she was able to get away unharmed. The Arkansas Department of Corrections did not immediately respond to requests for details about the escape or the hostage situation.

Jefferson County Sheriff's Office referred questions to the ADC.

Buffington, 47, is believed to be armed with a shotgun. He is a 5-foot-6 with scars on his upper left arm and right wrist.

Shae Wilson, spokeswoman for the ADC, said Buffington had only four years left on a 20-year sentence he was serving for the murder of his ex-wife in 1999. He was set to be released in 2018.

Numerous law enforcement agencies from across the stage have been searching through heavily wooded areas around the prison for any sign of him.