SPRINGFIELD — The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office called on the U.S. Marshals Service to help it find an inmate who escaped from the Effingham County Jail on Tuesday.

“They are going to help us locate this young man,” Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie said. “His name is Kevin David Lenix Wilson. We understand that he was indicted in Savannah at some point for homicide.”

Wilson, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound black male, was discovered missing at 7:10 a.m. during a routine head count. He was being held in the Effingham County Jail for the Rincon Police Department following numerous charges that resulted from a traffic stop.

Last August, Wilson was indicted by a Chatham County Grand Jury for three counts of malice murder, one count of felony murder, aggravated assault, armed robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon that occurred on May 13, 2020 in Savannah.

A bloodhound from the Statesboro K9 Unit searched the area around the jail shortly after Wilson was discovered missing. The dog picked up a trail that “dissipated.”

“(Wilson) got out of the jail,” McDuffie said. “It was (because of) a malfunction in the jail as well as human error from what we are finding out right now. Of course, as the investigation goes on this morning, that could change.”

McDuffie believes a Sunday night storm and subsequent electricity issues likely paved the way for the escape.

“Once you start with those computers, all kinds of stuff can go haywire,” McDuffie said. “The jail was initially unlocked from that situation. This was a door that just never got locked back.

“We apparently didn’t check it like we should have.”

McDuffie said Wilson wasn’t a troublesome inmate before his escape but warned citizens not to approach him. He is considered dangerous. If you see him or know his whereabouts, call 911 or remain anonymous by calling Crimestoppers at 912-234-2020 or online at https://savannahchathamcrimestoppers.org/how-to-submit-a-tip.