EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Father of escapee’s victim wants corrections staff held accountable

ST. LOUIS (KMOV) -- Now that he is back behind bars, the biggest question remains: How did Tommy Boyd manage to simply walk out of Mercy Hospital? The family, perhaps most impacted by all of this, said they deserve to know.

“I hope he never sees a day of freedom. I hope the sun never sets on him as a free man,” the father said. He cannot believe Boyd escaped so easily.

“Think first of all, shame on the guards, you know, are expected to keep an eye on him, and they let him get out,” Dory said.

Dory is the dad of the then-9-year-old boy who, in 2007, was lured by Boyd into a remote area. Boyd offered him money, a jury found, in exchange for a sex act and then tried to take off the boy’s pants, threatening to throw him in the water if he didn’t comply. But the boy ran away. Boyd has served about half of his 30-year sentence for that case. His first sex crime was in 1996.

“He needs to stay behind bars the rest of his life; he is a menace to society,” Dory said.

Dory told First Alert 4 they were hopeful Boyd would be caught quickly on Thursday but scared too.

“For the other people in that area, we were fearful for them for the kids,” he said.

He is grateful for all the efforts to get Boyd back behind bars.

“The citizens of St. Louis stepped up. And I appreciate that,” said Dory.

But he said the Department of Corrections needs to be held responsible.

“Have they given you an explanation?” asked Chief Investigative Reporter Lauren Trager.

“No explanation other than he escaped yesterday was put into custody yesterday,” he replied.

First Alert 4 Investigates has asked for that explanation. A Department of Corrections spokesperson would state only that “departmental protocol was not followed regarding Boyd at Mercy Hospital South.” In a separate statement, she wrote, “the two corrections officers involved are no longer employed by the Department.” The spokesperson declined to provide their general policies for security when offenders go to a hospital, citing “security reasons.”

“There should be no reason that anyone should be able to walk out at any time,” Dory said. He wants to ensure this doesn’t happen to another family. His son, he said, is a true survivor.

“He is a survivor. He is doing well. In spite of all this, he is becoming a great man, and I love him.”

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