(May 28, 2008)—The search for escaped McLennan County Jail trusty Marc Hirst, 32, intensified late Wednesday afternoon after deputies discovered a suitcase that the inmate may have taken along with clothing, a shotgun and ammunition in a late-night break-in in the Mart area.

Authorities say Hirst broke into a home around midnight in the Battle Lake area.

They were bringing in a K-9 team as well as a horse patrol Wednesday evening as they concentrated the search in the area where the suitcase was recovered.

Authorities believe Hirst is now wearing a blue or black long-sleeve shirt and khaki cargo pants and may be armed with a sawed-off shotgun.
He also took both buckshot and birdshot.
Hirst, doffed his uniform and fled from a work detail at the Precinct 2 work barn Tuesday morning clad only in his boxer shorts.

Hirst was last seen running across the Battle Lake golf course, Tuesday.

He managed to elude authorities throughout the night.

Earlier Wednesday, deputies were conducting a house-to-house search for the escaped inmate and Sheriff Larry Lynch said the manhunt would continue until Hirst is found or until it’s clear he’s no longer in the area.