Caddo County inmates accused of audacious escape attempt

ANADARKO — Two Caddo County jail inmates — one held for a murder and the other for a manslaughter sentence — are accused of attempting an audacious escape attempt.

Esco E. Peteet, 21, of Anadarko, and Joshua Dale Kestler, 35, of Carnegie, made their initial appearances Wednesday in Caddo County District Court where they were charged with felony counts of attempting to escape from custody and destruction of a public building, records indicate.

Investigators learned of the men’s plot to escape the detention center on Jan. 23 when another inmate reported learning of Peteet and Kestler planning and working on the plan, the probable cause affidavit states.

Jailers discovered a hole above one of the bunks after part of the drywall fell down and exposed access to the ceiling where duct work would be found for the HVAC system, Caddo County Sheriff’s Deputy Chason Hurt stated. The inmate said the men would climb up into the ceiling during the night and be up there for periods of time, according to the deputy. The inmate said they commented how they’d “never gutted a furnace from the inside out: and “they had made it to the roof, they just had one more step left, and they could be free,” the affidavit states. The inmate said he believed they were close to escaping because the POD’s heater was not working and it was cold.

The HVAC contractor inspected the unit and discovered daylight could be seen from the area of the roof where they were climbing through the duct work, Hurt stated. According to the affidavit, damages are estimated at $21,736.

Peteet has been in the jail since December 2023 for a felony charge of first-degree murder – deliberate intent for the Dec. 7, 2023, shooting death of Dangelo Pollard, records indicate.

Peteet is accused of working in concert with Davantae D. Winters, 24, of Anadarko, in the shooting death. Winters was charged Feb. 8 with a felony count of first-degree murder — deliberate intent, records indicate. He made his initial court appearance on March 14 and is being held on no bond.

The crime is punishable by life in prison, life with no parole or death. Due to the violence of the charge, 85 percent of a sentence would have to be served before consideration for parole.

Winters, too, is facing an escape charge for the May 2024 escape from the facility. He was arrested three days later.

Both, Peteet and Winters are scheduled to return to court in March for placement on the jury trial docket.

Kestler pleaded guilty in September 2024 to two counts of manslaughter for a September 2022 wreck that killed two Caddo County teens. Kestler admitted to being under the influence at the time of the Sept. 28, 2022, wreck about 3½ miles east of Fort Cobb. Two teen boys, ages 15 and 13, died at the scene, according to the probable cause affidavit. Neither boy was wearing a seatbelt.

Kestler received a 35 year sentence with the Department of Corrections with 15 years to serve and 20 years suspended and has been awaiting transfer into DOC custody.