Escaped Philadelphia murder suspect still on the loose

The hunt continued yesterday for escaped murder suspect Omar Roane.

As of late last night, police said, Roane was still on the run.

The career criminal, who is accused of killing a 17-year-old youth, last spring, was among three cons who busted out of a police transport van on Saturday at a traffic light at Frankford and Cottman avenues in Northeast Philadelphia.

Roane, 22, was being taken to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility. At some point during the trip, he apparently noticed something was amiss with a bolt on a cage door inside the van, said police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore.

Roane managed to force open the cage door, then opened the rear doors to the van and ran off, Vanore said.

The two other cons also managed to get out of the van, but were quickly apprehended. All three were handcuffed at the time of their escape.

The U.S. Marshals have posted a $2,500 reward for information that leads to Roane's capture. Tipsters can contact the marshals at 1-866-865-TIPS.

Roane has been charged with fatally shooting Kyree Young on June 9, 2009, during an attempted robbery and wounding Young's friend.