Sarah Pender’s Life Behind Bars: The Prison Escape That Triggered a Nationwide Manhunt

Convicted in a double-murder case, Sarah Pender escaped from prison in 2008 and remained on the run for four months. Nearly two decades later, she is still fighting her conviction and serving a 110-year sentence.

Sarah Pender remains incarcerated at Indiana Women’s Prison in Indianapolis, where her earliest possible release date is January 12, 2054. Her case continues to draw attention because of her dramatic escape, disputed evidence at trial and the former prosecutor who later expressed doubts about her guilt.

Pender was convicted in 2002 of the murders of her roommates, Andrew Cataldi and Tricia Nordman, in Indianapolis. Although her former boyfriend, Richard Hull, admitted to shooting the victims, prosecutors argued that Pender had played a central role in the killings.

Pender has consistently maintained that she did not commit the murders.

The Double Murders That Led to a 110-Year Sentence
On October 24, 2000, Cataldi and Nordman were shot and killed at the home they shared with Pender and Hull. Investigators later discovered their bodies in a dumpster.

Hull eventually pleaded guilty to the killings and received a 75-year prison sentence. Pender was convicted in 2002 and sentenced to 110 years behind bars.

Prosecutors argued that she helped orchestrate the murders and had purchased the shotgun used in the crime. Pender acknowledged buying the weapon and helping Hull dispose of the bodies but denied planning or carrying out the killings.

Evidence presented against her included testimony from a jailhouse informant and a letter that prosecutors said contained a confession. Both pieces of evidence later became subjects of controversy.

How Pender Escaped From Prison
On August 4, 2008, Pender escaped from Rockville Correctional Facility in Indiana with assistance from correctional officer Scott Spitler and former inmate Jamie Long.

After leaving the prison, she assumed the identity of Ashley Thompson and eventually settled in Chicago. She managed to evade authorities for approximately four months while living under the false identity.

Her escape ended on December 22, 2008, after a viewer recognized her from an appearance on the television program America’s Most Wanted and alerted authorities.

Following her return to custody, Pender spent more than five years in solitary confinement before being returned to the general prison population.

Questions About Her Conviction
Pender’s case has continued to attract scrutiny because of concerns about the evidence used to convict her.

Richard Hull later acknowledged that he was the shooter, while questions emerged about the authenticity of the letter presented as Pender’s confession. An inmate subsequently claimed responsibility for fabricating the letter.

Larry Sells, the former deputy prosecutor who helped secure Pender’s conviction, later expressed doubts about her culpability and said he believed reasonable doubt existed.

These developments have fueled renewed efforts by Pender and her supporters to challenge her conviction and seek a reduced sentence. However, the conviction remains in place.

Latest Bid for Freedom Denied
In December 2025, Pender appeared in court seeking to reduce her sentence to 45 years, a change that could have made her eligible for release based on time served and applicable credits.

She told the court that she wanted an opportunity to live outside prison rather than spend the rest of her life behind bars.

A judge denied the request in January 2026. The ruling left her 110-year sentence unchanged.

Pender remains incarcerated at Indiana Women’s Prison, with her earliest possible release date listed as January 12, 2054.

Her Story Returns to the Spotlight
Pender’s case received renewed attention through the documentary series Girl on the Run: The Hunt for America’s Most Wanted Woman, which explores her prison escape, the ensuing manhunt and the ongoing questions surrounding her conviction.

For now, despite continued efforts to challenge her sentence, Pender remains behind bars. Her case continues to raise questions about the evidence used in criminal convictions and the possibility of revisiting cases when significant doubts emerge.

Source: PEOPLE — Inside Sarah Pender’s Life Now

Additional source: Biography — Where Is Sarah Pender Now?