Say ‘Aaah’

A major manhunt was launched for a convicted murderer who escaped Friday from the Los Angeles County Men’s Central Jail, sheriff’s officials said Sunday.

Kevin Jerome Pullum was discovered missing Friday evening after a check of coded wrist bands at the jail revealed his absence, deputies said.

Pullum, 31, was convicted of murder in Van Nuys on Friday and then transported to the Men’s Central Jail’s inmate reception center by bus, Sheriff’s Capt. Ray Leyva said.

The Major Crimes Unit was conducting a massive investigation to find Pullum, he said. “They are going to follow as many leads as they can, so they don’t want to put out too much information,” Leyva said. “It makes their job more difficult”

Few details about Pullum were available Sunday. Inmate information made public through the Sheriff’s Department Web site said he was arrested in April 2000 by the Pasadena Police Department on a violation of felony parole.

Pullum was being held on $2-million bail and was scheduled to appear in a Van Nuys courtroom July 19. Sheriff’s deputies, however, said he escaped shortly after his conviction.

A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said that office was unaware of the escape.

The Sheriff’s Department emphasized Sunday that escapes are rarely successful. “The last guy that tried to escape from [the jail] fell off the roof and was in critical condition,” Leyva said.