Escaped Linn County Inmate Found at Morgan Creek Park

An escaped Linn County inmate was found at a county park early Saturday.

The Linn County Sheriff’s Office says 32-year old Aaron Ray Shafer had been incarcerated at the Linn County Correctional Center on a charge of 3rd Degree Theft. On Thursday afternoon, a police hold was placed on Shafer while he was at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids. He was supposed to be returned to jail after his hospital stay.

On Friday night, hospital staff notified the jail that Shafer had fled from the hospital in a silver vehicle. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office, along with Cedar Rapids Police, conducted an area search.

Shafer was found three hours later (on Saturday around 1:40 am) at Morgan Creek Park. He was taken back into custody and returned to the Linn County Correctional Center.