Gary Tison’s sons, Donny, Ricky, and Ray, were involved in his infamous prison escape in 1978. Donny and Ricky were killed in a shootout with police, while Ray was captured and returned to prison.
Gary Tison, a convicted murderer, orchestrated a daring escape from the Arizona State Prison with the help of his three sons on July 30, 1978. His sons, Donny, Ricky, and Ray, along with a cellmate named Randy Greenawalt, fled with Tison after they smuggled guns into the prison and overpowered the guards.
The group embarked on a murderous rampage that left six people dead, including a family of four. The escape and subsequent manhunt received widespread media attention and led to one of the largest manhunts in Arizona history.
Approximately two weeks after the escape, the Tison gang was located in the desert. During the ensuing confrontation with law enforcement, Donny and Ricky Tison were killed in a shootout. Gary Tison and Randy Greenawalt managed to evade immediate capture but were found several days later. Tison died of exposure and dehydration in the desert, while Greenawalt was captured, returned to prison, and later executed for his crimes.
Ray Tison, the youngest son, was captured without incident during the manhunt and was returned to prison. He was tried and convicted for his role in the escape and the subsequent crimes committed by the gang. Ray received multiple life sentences and remains incarcerated, having been denied parole on several occasions. The Tison family’s criminal activities and the tragic outcome of their escape attempt left a dark legacy in Arizona’s history.