An official at the Roosevelt County Detention Center says two inmates were able to escape through an air conditioning vent in the ceiling of a cell.
Jail administrator David Casanova gave details of Friday night's escape to the Portales News-Tribune on Saturday.
Video footage shows inmates Ruben Lozano and Stephen Phillips jumping off the jail's roof around 9 a.m. A detention center officer found a blanket on the ground about 30 minutes later while doing a routine patrol.
Casanova says he's not sure exactly how the inmates punched a hole in the roof after climbing through the vent. He did say other inmates were aware of the escape while it was happening.
Phillips was captured soon after. Lozano remains free.
Lozano was being held on drug trafficking charges. Phillips is accused of auto burglary.
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Information from: Portales News-Tribune, http://www.pntonline.com
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.