A man who lived as a fugitive in a small Connecticut town after fleeing from a prison work camp in Carrolton, Georgia in the 1960s died just months after Georgia authorities allowed him to remain at home in Sherman, according to an attorney from the law firm that has represented him.
Robert Stackowitz escaped a prison work camp in Carrolton, Georgia, in 1968 while serving a 17-year robbery sentence and was arrested at his home in Sherman, Connecticut, in May after his Social Security aspplication turned up an arrest warrant.
He fought extradition to Georgia, citing his deteriorating health, including heart failure and bladder cancer and Georgia officials accepted a proposal to allow Stackowitz to remain at his home under the supervision of Connecticut authorities.
Stackowitz was hospitalized over the weekend and died on Monday, according to an attorney.
“It was a pleasure to represent Bob. We were glad we got the right resolution for his unique situation and glad he could have peace in his final weeks. We didn’t know at the time it would be this soon that he would be passing, but certainly we knew his condition was always tenuous,” Kevin Smith, of the Norman Pattis Law Firm, said.
Stackowitz sentence was scheduled to end in 2022.
