SCOUTING YESTERDAY | Fugitive behind bars after kidnapping newspaper editor, robbing banks
This week in South Dakota history: May 29–June 4
After kidnapping an Argus Leader editor and robbing multiple banks, an escaped convict was finally back in custody 25 years ago this week.
But Anthony Flowers’ month on the run was just a chapter in a life full of prison breaks, armed robberies, claims of being a government informant and a high-profile false confession, according to the June 3, 2001, edition of the Argus Leader.
With a criminal history dating back to 1985, Flowers was back behind bars following a traffic stop in fall 2000 that resulted in officers finding cocaine, methamphetamine and a loaded gun — all violations of his parole conditions at the time. But awaiting sentencing for the violations and facing additional federal bank robbery charges, he pulled off an elaborate escape from the Minnehaha County Jail on May 2, 2001, according to Argus Leader archives.
