Prison Escapee Richard Matt shot, killed by New York police

NEW YORK (KGO) -- Escaped convicted murderer Richard Matt was shot and killed by authorities in upstate New York today, according to officials, 20 days after he made an elaborate escape from prison.

Matt was shot and killed by a border patrol SWAT team at about 3:45 p.m. in Elephant's Head, New York, about 20 miles south of the Canadian border and just 50 miles away from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, NY after he was spotted by a law enforcement officer walking in the woods.

Officials believe Matt was with the other convicted murder he escaped with, David Sweat, earlier today, state police told ABC News.

Investigators set up a perimeter in the area around where Matt was shot and killed to try and corner Sweat, state police told ABC News.

According to officials, dogs picked up a scent around 2 a.m. Sen. Chuck Schumer, who said he was briefed on the incident, said that law enforcement were contacted by a woman who got a knock at her door, he told ABC News Station WABC.

She didn't answer the door, but instead called police, Schumer said. That's when dogs picked up the scent and began to close in from the north and west.

Some time before 3 p.m. today, Matt apparently tried to carjack a camper vehicle, according to sources briefed on the investigation.

The sources say shots were fired at the camper.

The driver sped away and called 911, reporting shots had been fired, sources said.

Earlier today, New York State Police said the inmates should still be considered armed and dangerous. Police said they believed the inmates were still in New York, but may be headed towards Canada.

Matt and Sweat escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility early June 6 and more than 1,100 officers have been involved in the search.

The prisoners used power tools to cut through the back of their adjacent cells at the maximum security prison, about 20 miles south of the Canadian border, police said. They broke through a brick wall, then cut into a steam pipe and slithered through it, finally emerging outside the prison walls through a manhole.

Matt was serving 25 years to life in prison after he kidnapped and beat a man to death in 1997.

Sweat was serving a life sentence after he was convicted of killing a Broome County sheriff's deputy in 2002.

New York State offered a $50,000 reward for information that leads to the capture of either man or $100,000 for both. The U.S. Marshals Service placed Sweat and Matt on the 15 most wanted fugitives list and offered a $25,000 reward.

Two employees at the prison, tailor shop employee Joyce Mitchell and correction officer Gene Palmer, have been charged in connection with the escape.

Mitchell was charged with providing hacksaw blades and tools to the men through frozen hamburger meat. She pleaded not guilty to the felony and misdemeanor charges.

Palmer was charged with giving the inmates art supplies and other contraband in exchange for paintings from Matt and information about the behavior of other inmates.

He was released on $25,000 and was set to be arraigned Monday.

According to a statement given to police, Palmer denies knowing that the men were going to escape or that anything he allegedly gave them would aid in the escape.

The Clinton County District Attorney, Andrew Wylie, echoed those sentiments in an interview.