Who gets the $141K reward for capturing two escaped Georgia prison inmates?

NASHVILLE — Georgia authorities offered $141,000 to anyone who could provide information leading to the capture of two escaped inmates accused of fatally shooting two prison guards before fleeing north into Tennessee.

But on Thursday, a nearly a week since the escapees' dramatic capture in Rutherford County, the promised money had not been distributed. 

Ricky Dubose, 24, and Donnie Rowe, 43, were back in Putnam County, Ga., facing charges that include murder, felony escape and hijacking a motor vehicle.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Nelly Miles said the agency was "still in discussions (on who gets the cash), but closer to a decision."

Related:

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On the day of their arrests, GBI officials announced the agency would monetarily reward the "bravery of Tennessee civilians" who helped catch the fugitives.

"The reward will be dispersed at the appropriate time," said the GBI in a statement. "As there were several aspects involved in their apprehension, law enforcement will continue to review them and determine how it will be dispersed."

A timeline of the investigation shows at least two Tennessee residents could argue they deserve the reward.

The first person with a possible claim to the cash is a 71-year-old Shelbyville man. Bedford County Sheriff Austin Swing said the inmates pushed their way into the man's home and tied up him and his wife before stealing their Jeep and fleeing. After breaking free, the man dialed 911 and identified their assailants as the escaped inmates. (USA TODAY Network is withholding the victims' names.)

'You survived, you survived': Listen to 911 call that helped nab Georgia fugitives

"We’ve had an armed home invasion," the man told a dispatcher as his wife sobbed behind him. "It’s the two people from Georgia. Escapees."

The second person with a possible claim to the reward is Rutherford County resident Patrick Hale, who told law enforcement that he saw the convicts burst onto his Christiana property about an hour after the Shelbyville couple was terrorized. The homeowner dialed 911 after he saw them trying to steal his car, then he went outside carrying an AR-15 rifle pointed at them.

"I began to slowly back up as they came closer," Hale said. "At that point, I realized I had two ex-cons wanted for murder who just shot at law enforcement and (had) nothing to lose. And for some reason, they started to surrender and lay down on their stomachs on my concrete driveway."

Initially, Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said that because the inmates surrendered, the reward would not be paid. Sills' office contributed a large portion of the reward. 

The next day, Sills reversed his decision after finding out about the role Hale played in the inmates' capture. 

Dubose and Row stand accused of killing Christopher Monica, 42, and Curtis Billue, 58, of the Georgia Department of Corrections on a prison transport bus.

According to the Department of Corrections, the bus was headed to Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison in Jackson, Ga. Officials said there were 31 other inmates on the bus — all of whom were accounted for and who were all at different facilities across the state Friday.

Both inmates waived their rights Friday and were extradited back to Georgia.

Follow Natalie Neysa Alund on Twitter: @nataliealund