Murder suspect Christopher Haynes appears in court after 7 week manhunt following GW Hospital escape

WASHINGTON - Christopher Haynes, the murder suspect who escaped police custody at George Washington University Hospital, appeared in front of a D.C. judge Friday afternoon.

Haynes made his initial appearance on a murder charge for the death of Brent Hayward. An attorney for Haynes says he maintains his innocence.

Haynes escaped police custody at GW Hospital on September 6. He was arrested the same morning in connection with murder charges relating to an Aug. 12 double-shooting in the District that left Hayward dead. Police say after he was brought to the hospital complaining of ankle pain, Haynes attacked the officers escorting him and escaped as they were attempting to handcuff him to a gurney. 

His escape prompted a several-hour shelter-in-place order for the entire GW campus and brief roadblocks on nearby streets, and a manhunt for the past seven weeks.

Haynes was captured on Thursday after police were tipped off to an address in Oxon Hill. Before they knocked, the door opened, then closed. Officers in the back spotted Haynes on a balcony and arrested him.

"I have a lot more confidence in our governmental police force and our detectives. I just have a lot more confidence in our world," said Sheila Jackson, Brent Hayward's mother. 

At a news conference Thursday, the U.S. Marshals didn’t answer many questions about Haynes' whereabouts over the last seven weeks or whether anyone would face charges connected to hiding him. But police gave strong indications the public helped.

"I’d like to thank our partners at the United States Marshal Service as well as the many, many community members that stepped up, called us, provided info, provided information to the Marshals service that led to Haynes' arrest," said MPD Assistance Chief Leslie Parsons.