Did Anyone Escape from Alcatraz?

There are no known successful escapes from Alcatraz. While inmates were able to break out of the prison in both 1937 and 1962, there is no credible evidence that they reached the mainland. Instead, the escapees are believed to have drowned.

Before closing in 1963, Alcatraz was considered escape proof—and for good reason. The prison, located on an island in San Francisco Bay, was separated from the California mainland by 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of frigid, treacherous waters. In addition, Alcatraz had special safety measures, and its strict rules included 12 prisoner checks every day. So it is not surprising that after Alcatraz became a federal penitentiary in 1934, there were no known successful escapes. But the key word is known. Of the 14 attempted breakouts, 12 definitively failed. However, mystery surrounds two attempts.

In 1937 Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe escaped into the bay after filing through the bars on a window. Because there was a storm that night, making the bay especially hazardous, both men are believed to have drowned; nevertheless, their bodies were never found. Greater uncertainty surrounds an attempt in 1962. On the night of June 11 Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin, all of whom were bank robbers, staged an elaborate escape that included papier-mâché dummy heads (complete with real human hair)—which they placed in their beds—as well as life vests and a raft made from more than 50 raincoats and other stolen items. By the time their absence was noted on the morning of June 12, the men were long gone. It is unknown what happened to them. Although no bodies were found, there were no credible sightings of the men. In 1979 the FBI closed its case, concluding that the three likely had drowned. However, it remains an active investigation with the U.S. Marshals Service.