Jail escapee sentenced to life

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Convicted murderer Jonathan Good, who briefly escaped from a prison last Thanksgiving, was sentenced for some of his crimes Thursday.

Good was sentenced for the attempted murder of Michael and Theresa Korpal, plus a string of break-ins in the Canadian Lakes area, armed robberies, felony firearms and criminal enterprise charges.

He received 75-125 years for the attempted murders. He received a life sentence with the possibility of parole on two counts of conspiracy to commit murder.

Good also was sentenced to 10 years each on seven felony firearm charges, and he must serve those 70 years before he can begin serving the sentences for attempted murder.

He has not yet been sentenced for his escape and related charges from the Mecosta County Jail.

On Thanksgiving, a metal towel hook was the key to Good's escape from the jail.

Empty screw holes mark where the towel hook sat until Good escaped in November. He was awaiting trial on attempted murder and dozens of other felony charges when he broke out. Good had served prison time for a 1980s murder.

"He had used a toenail clippers to slowly unscrew the screws that were in here," Sheriff's Capt. Kevin Wood, the jail administrator, told 24 Hour News 8 at the time. "His stack of papers that were sitting here on the table helped shield the view of staff members being able to see that."

Investigators concluded Good took that hook and then brought it into what's called the inmate walk area -- an area two maximum security inmates typically share. He then made a ladder of sorts for himself leading to a skylight in the area.

Good stepped on a chair, then a door lock, then a phone and finally a ledge to get up to the 3x3 foot skylight.

"He used the towel hook to pry away the metal grate," Wood said.

He waited for his chance.

And one day later, Good punched through the second layer of the skylight and made it to the roof. He was spotted but he got away.

After four days of searching, Good was picked up in Wayne County.