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Fugitive Arrested In Central Florida 56 Years After Prison Break

Frank Freshwater. Image: Brevard County Sheriff's Office
Frank Freshwater. Image: Brevard County Sheriff's Office

A fugitive has been recaptured in Melbourne, 56 years after he escaped from an Ohio prison. 79 year old Frank Freshwater escaped from a prison farm in 1959.

US Marshals worked with Brevard County Sheriffs deputies to arrest Freshwater after he was discovered in Melbourne.

BCSO Major Tod Goodyear said Freshwater was cooperative when they arrived at his home.

“When we showed up out there they actually walked up and showed him the 1959 photo," said Goodyear.

"They asked him if he’d seen that person, and he said he hadn’t seen him in a long time.”

Freshwater was taken to the Brevard County jail to await extradition back to Ohio.

Goodyear said Freshwater had worked as a truck driver and was living under the alias William H. Cox

When he escaped he was 7 months into a 20 year sentence related to a manslaughter conviction. Freshwater was first imprisoned at Shawshank State Prison before he was transferred to the Sandusky Ohio Honor Farm for good behavior.