Homicide suspect escapes jail by switching names with another inmate, NC cops say

A homicide suspect managed to escape jail in the simplest of ways, when he switched names with an inmate scheduled for release, according to investigators in eastern North Carolina.

It happened around Tuesday at the Columbus County Detention Center in Whiteville, and the suspect, Zion Britt, was recaptured around 5 a.m. Thursday at a Motel 6 in Lumberton, law enforcement officials said.

Britt, 26, was being held in connection with a 2021 homicide, investigators say.

“The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office is aware of information circulated online regarding a Robeson County inmate who was temporarily housed at the Columbus County Detention Center and was released after falsely identifying himself as another inmate scheduled for release,” Columbus County Sheriff W. A. Rogers said in a Jan. 29 news release.

“Upon discovery of the release, personnel with the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office immediately initiated a coordinated response, dedicating extensive resources and working continuously until the inmate was apprehended.”

An investigation is underway to determine how the release happened, including a review of procedures, Rogers said.

“Appropriate accountability will follow once findings are complete,” he said. “The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office stands firmly behind the deputies, detention officers, and investigators who responded decisively and professionally to protect the public.”

The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office says Britt was being housed “for safekeeping” at the Columbus County Detention Center.

Whiteville is about a 115-mile drive south from downtown Raleigh.

This story was originally published January 29, 2026 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Homicide suspect escapes jail by switching names with another inmate, NC cops say."