Watch: Mich. Troopers Use Infrared Camera to Find Escaped Inmate Hiding Under Logs

Video released by Michigan State Police shows troopers using a helicopter-mounted FLIR camera to locate an escaped inmate hiding beneath logs and debris in a swampy wooded area near Grayling.

By Max Reinhart `

Source The Detroit News

Oct. 28, 2026

2 min read

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A Michigan State Police helicopter using FLIR technology located an escaped inmate hiding beneath logs and debris in a swampy wooded area near Grayling after a manhunt.
Video shows officers surrounding the suspect while an officer in the helicopter directs them toward the inmate's concealed location before he is taken into custody.
Authorities said the inmate escaped from the Crawford County Jail through a door left propped open, and officials are reviewing the incident and possible policy changes.

Image from a Michigan State Police FLIR camera showing troopers converging on an escaped inmate — A Michigan State Police helicopter helped officers close in on an escaped inmate who remained undetected until troopers were only a few feet away from his concealed location.

An escaped inmate was captured Monday, Oct. 26, in a swampy northern Michigan woods.

Michigan State Police utilized its forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera to find the suspect hiding beneath logs and debris, and posted video of the end of the manhunt on social media.

In the 80-second clip, several officers can be seen methodically surrounding the suspect, guided by another officer in a helicopter hovering above them.

The escapee appears to have been well concealed. The surrounding officers couldn't see him until they were mere feet away.

"You guys are almost standing on top of (him)," the officer in the helicopter says.

A moment later, one officer responds, "We got him."

The inmate had escaped from the Crawford County Jail in Grayling and was hiding nearby, in a wooded area near the Grayling Country Club, the MSP Seventh District said in a post on X.

Once he was located, the inmate was taken into custody, authorities said.

The suspect, Casey Jo Helsel, had escaped from the jail around 1:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, through a jail door that had been left propped open, according to an UpNorthLive report. Authorities said they were reviewing the incident to make policy changes to eliminate future escapes.

There was no immediate word on what additional charges Helsel might face.

In Michigan, escaping from a jail can be a felony, punishable by up to two additional years behind bars.

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