Escaped murder suspect nabbed in Trevose

An accused murderer who escaped from a city jail on Thanksgiving Day was captured around 3 p.m. this afternoon, police said.

After receiving a tip, U.S. Marshals and Philadelphia detectives nabbed Oscar Alvarado, 27, at the Neshaminy Motor Inn, on Old Lincoln Highway, just outside the city in Trevose.

There were two other people in the room with Alvarado, but it was unclear whether they will face charges.

Alvarado and the two others were taken to Northeast Detectives for interviews.

Alvarado, who had been jailed since October 2008, was awaiting trial on charges of murdering a Kensington woman. He was the first person to ever escape from Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, on State Road in Holmesburg, which was built in 1995.

On Thanksgiving, he obtained an unauthorized pass to the visitor's room, even though he did not have any visitors that day, authorities said.

Somehow, Alvarado changed into civilian clothes and walked out of the jail between 3 and 6 p.m.

Prison Commissioner Louis Giorla has said it was "possible" that Alvarado escaped on his own, but privately authorities have said Alvarado almost certainly had help from inside the jail, outside, or both.

One law enforcement source said a woman picked him up outside the jail and drove him to 30th Street Station.

Eight jail officers were assigned to other posts pending an investigation, a jail official said earlier this month.

Contact staff writer Troy Graham at 215-854-2730 or tgraham@phillynews.com.