Pair admits guilt in jailbreak murders

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - An Arizona prison escapee who killed a vacationing couple in New Mexico will never get out of prison, and his accomplice could spend the rest of her life there, too.

A third alleged participant in the murders still is awaiting trial.

Tracy Province and Casslyn Welch both pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court Friday admitting they conspired with John McCluskey to steal the truck and travel trailer of an Oklahoma couple at an Interstate 40 rest area near Santa Rosa and kill them if necessary.

The bodies Gary and Linda Haas of Tecumseh, Okla., were later found in the burn remains of their trailer in a remote area a few days after Welch helped McCluskey, Province and another inmate escape from a prison near Kingman, Ariz., on July 30, 2010.

Province and Welch already have pleaded guilty to escape-related charges in an Arizona state court, and a jury their convicted McCluskey.

On Friday Province pleaded guilty to eight other counts under a plea agreement that will result in five consecutive terms of life in prison.

Welch pleaded guilty to seven other counts and faces a maximum of life in prison.

Both could be called to testify against McCluskey when he goes on trial.