Local police say escaped killer could be in the area

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Story Published: Sep 18, 2009 at 5:45 PM PDT

Story Updated: Sep 18, 2009 at 9:45 PM PDT

By KLEW Web Staff

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LEWISTON - The search is still on for a criminally insane patient who walked away from a day trip at the Spokane County Fair. And now police are saying to be on the lookout in this area.

Lewiston Police Captain Tom Greene said the public should be aware that 47-year-old Phillip Arnold Paul could be in the Valley.

Paul was with a group of patients from the Eastern State Hospital at the fair Thursday. He has been at the hospital since 1987 when he admitted to strangling and stabbing a woman to death.

Officials at first said it's likely he's hitchhiking to Sunnyside, Washington, where his parents and siblings live. But Greene said some people identified someone who looked like Paul as being on a bus that stopped in north Lewiston Friday morning. The bus was pulled over by Idaho Sate Police near Craigmont later in the morning, but Paul was not on it.

Greene said local police are being especially vigilant because Paul has an acquaintance from Clarkston who has visited him at Eastern State Hospital.

Greene says Paul is about 5' 8', 220 pounds, with a grayish goatee. He has reportedly discarded a red windbreaker, but may still be wearing blue jeans, a blue t-shirt and carrying a backpack.

You are asked to call police immediately if you think you recognize him.

Police say Paul is not currently exhibiting violent behavior, but may become dangerous the longer he goes without medication. This is Paul's second escape from custody.

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