Police Fear Last Ariz. Prison Escapee May Kill Self

(NewsCore) - Police fear an Arizona prison escapee on the run with his fiancee may commit suicide rather than be taken into custody, ABC News reported Tuesday.

John McCluskey, and his accomplice Casslyn Welch -- who is also his cousin and is believed to have helped engineer his escape from jail -- are now understood to be on the run in Montana or southwest Canada.

McCluskey escaped medium-security Arizona State Prison near Kingman on July 30 with Daniel Renwick and Tracy Province.

Renwick was captured and returned to custody on August 1 after a car chase and shootout with police and Province was apprehended without incident Monday outside a church in Meeteetse, Wyo., a tiny town in the state's northwest Park County.

U.S. Marshal chief deputy Fidencio Rivera told "Good Morning America" Tuesday that there may be a possible deadly end for McCluskey and Welch.

"We believe they are armed and extremely dangerous," he said.

"Based on information we're receiving from interviews, we believe they have no intention of being taken alive, information that indicates that they're willing to commit suicide.

"So we are extremely concerned for public safety and for the safety of our law enforcement personnel."

The pair have been linked to the double homicide of a married couple in New Mexico last week.

The remains of Linda and Gary Haas, both 61, of Tecumseh, Okla., were found in a charred camper on Wednesday morning on a remote ranch in Santa Rosa in eastern New Mexico.

McCluskey’s mother, Claudia Washburn, was arrested Saturday and charged with conspiracy to commit escape, hindering prosecution, and facilitation to commit escape for allegedly assisting the inmates and Welch.

Police said earlier this week that McCluskey and Welch were living out a modern-day "Bonnie and Clyde" persona.

"Desperate people take desperate actions, and based upon that we are concerned," Rivera said.

"They've demonstrated their willingness and callousness to commit violent crimes based on their prior convictions and the current allegations of double-homicide."

McCluskey was serving 15 years for charges including attempted murder and he and Welch are believed to be white supremacists and members of the Aryan Brotherhood.

U.S. Marshal David Gonzalez said authorities were investigating whether friends or allies from the white supremacist network might be helping the couple.

"There are some enclaves in that part of the country and they have connections and friends in that area they might be headed to," he said.

There is a $40,000 reward for the capture of McCluskey.

Meanwhile, the pastor at the church where Province was arrested told ABC the fugitive had attended a service Sunday, praying and singing with members of the church community.

"I talked to him a little bit about faith and God and Jesus Christ forgiving sins and things like that," pastor Ron Kingston said.

"He said he had faith in God."

Province was identified by a member of the congregation, who recognized him from media coverage, and tipped off the authorities.