Accused killer escapes from Holmesburg

An accused murderer pulled off a daring escape from a city jail Thursday afternoon, police said yesterday, slipping away from a visitors' lobby after getting past a dozen jail employees and two locked doors and, in the meantime, changing into civilian clothes.

Oscar Alvarado, 27, who had been held at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility on State Road since October 2008, vanished between 3 and 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving, officials said. Authorities noticed he was gone around 6 and, after searching the prison grounds, began scouring the city.

By last night, the manhunt had been going on for more than 24 hours.

Philadelphia police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore said anyone who has spotted Alvarado, who was jailed on charges of gunning down a woman last year in Kensington, should avoid him and call 911 immediately.

"He's definitely a dangerous individual," Vanore said.

Alvarado is the first inmate ever to escape from the jail, the prisons commissioner said. He was held in general population at a high security level at the prison, built in 1995 in the city's Holmesburg section.

The commissioner, Louis Giorla, said the jail's security procedures were being evaluated.

"We're looking at everything right now, and if we need to make changes," he said, "we'll do that as soon as possible."

Authorities have not said exactly how Alvarado managed to sneak away. According to reports from other inmates, he had been planning the jailbreak for about 10 days, Giorla said.

Alvarado obtained an unauthorized pass allowing him access to the visitors' room Thursday afternoon, despite the fact that he had no visitors that day, Giorla said.

Inmates who go to the visitors' room are to change from their blue jail uniforms into orange jumpsuits. Instead, Giorla said, Alvarado changed into a light-colored T-shirt and dark pants. Authorities would not say how Alvarado came to have access to civilian clothes.

On the way to the visitors' area, Alvarado passed two locked doors and at least a dozen jail employees, Giorla said. He was last seen in the visitors' area, which was full of people visiting for Thanksgiving.

"The attendance was higher than usual, but not significantly so," Giorla said. "It's always crowded."

For privacy reasons, no cameras are mounted in the visitors' room, Giorla said, and people who pass through the rooms are searched when entering and leaving. Alvarado likely passed other cameras on his way out, but, Giorla said, those were set up for real-time surveillance and not to record footage.

Despite the holiday, Giorla said, the jail was at its full level of staffing.

After locking down the jail and searching the area, jail officials reported the escape to police about 9:30 p.m. Thursday.

Giorla acknowledged that it was possible Alvarado had help from inside the jail, outside, or both. When asked if Alvarado could have escaped without an accomplice, he said, "It's possible."

Alvarado has been arrested at least 19 times on drug, theft, and assault charges, and most recently in the Kensington slaying. He has twice been convicted on drug charges, court documents show, and has served time.

Alvarado and his cousin Cynthia Alvarado, 28, were charged with murder in October 2008. Witnesses saw Oscar Alvarado firing at a woman from a red Honda Civic, which police said was being driven by his cousin.

The victim, Marta Martinez-Lozada, 37, of Hope Street near Cambria Street, was hit multiple times and died at Temple University Hospital.

At the time, police said that the motive in the killing was robbery, but that it was unclear if anything had been taken.

In addition, Alvarado is awaiting trial on a slew of related offenses, including robbery, conspiracy, aggravated assault, and illegal gun possession.

Alvarado was in court last week for a pre-trial conference, and was scheduled to return to court in February, court records show.

Alvarado is 5-foot-7 and weighs about 160 pounds. He is clean-shaven, and is either bald or has a close-cropped haircut. He has a tattoo of a face on his back, and a tattoo on his right biceps that reads "215 Badlandz." On his left forearm is a tattoo of a coffin emblazoned with the words, "Neva Fall in love wit life cuz you have a promise wit death."