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TROUP COUNTY, Ga. (WRBL) — After an intense 12-hour manhunt, authorities in Troup County have successfully apprehended an escaped inmate.
On the morning of February 8, 2026, at approximately 9:30 a.m., personnel at the Troup County Sheriff’s Office discovered that inmate Christian Joel-Marcos Cortez was missing from the facility. Upon investigation, it was revealed that Cortez managed to flee by exiting through an outer door and scaling an external fence.
Lt. Stewart Smith reported that investigators in Troup County received intelligence suggesting that Cortez had possibly headed to a location in Acworth. At 9:20 p.m., officers from the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office apprehended Cortez, bringing the search to a successful conclusion.
An internal review is currently underway to ascertain how Cortez was able to escape from the jail premises.
The operation to recapture Cortez was a collaborative effort involving the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Spalding County Sheriff’s Office, LaGrange Police Department, and Georgia State Patrol.
Cortez was initially in custody facing child molestation charges.