Georgia killer Kathan Guzman — mistakenly freed from prison — captured after 2 weeks on the run

After a two-week run as a fugitive, convicted killer Kathan Guzman was recaptured by US Marshals in Florida, more than 400 miles away from where he was mistakenly released from a Georgia prison. Guzman, 22, who is serving a life sentence for strangling his girlfriend to death, was found hiding at his mother’s home in Ocoee.

Michael Sonethavilay, deputy commander of the US Marshals Service’s Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force, led the operation to track down Guzman. The Atlanta division of the agency uncovered crucial information that led them to Florida, where they collaborated with local officials to apprehend the fugitive.

Guzman was only five months into his prison term when he was accidentally released from Clayton County Jail in Jonesboro on March 27. The release was attributed to a training failure and a lack of attention to Guzman’s file by jailers. Guzman had been convicted in October 2024 for the murder of his girlfriend, Delia Grayson, who was found dead in a bathtub in August 2022.

The mistake in releasing Guzman occurred when jailers reviewed a court document that showed a motion to not prosecute a necrophilia charge that didn’t stick at trial. They failed to notice his conviction for murder and assault by strangulation. The error prompted a large-scale manhunt, with the district attorney’s office and law enforcement agencies working to locate Guzman.

Christina Grayson, the victim’s mother, expressed relief after Guzman was recaptured, stating that she had been living in fear while he was on the loose. She criticized the sheriff’s office for the oversight that led to Guzman’s mistaken release.

Guzman, who believed his release was a sign from a higher power, is now awaiting extradition at Orange County Jail. The sheriff’s office is conducting an investigation into the cause of the release, with possible disciplinary actions pending for employees involved in the error.

Overall, the incident has raised concerns about the procedures and oversight within the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office. The community is relieved that Guzman is back in custody, but questions remain about how such a critical mistake could have occurred.