Sheriff offers $5,000 reward for info on missing murderer

It’s been almost three days since a convicted murder was mistakenly released from the Moss Justice Center in York County, and investigators with the York County Sheriff’s Office are now offering a reward for 31-year-old Thomas Aaron Whitlock.

York County Sheriff’s Office spokesman  Lt. Mike Baker said Wednesday there’s now a 5-thousand dollar reward for information leading to Whitlock’s arrest.

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Whitlock was convicted of second-degree murder in 2009 and was being held at the Moss Justice Center on drug charges.

He was released Monday just after 3 p.m. and it wasn’t until 1 p.m. Tuesday that investigators realized he was free.

Baker says there was a reason the public wasn’t notified of his disappearance until Tuesday night.

Whitlock does have family in Rock Hill, and Wednesday afternoon, Whitlock’s brother, Derrick Whitlock told our news partner CN2 that he needs to turn himself in.

Whitlock is a 31-year-old black man, 5-feet 11-inches tall weighing 144 pounds.

If you have any information that may help authorities in finding Whitlock, you’re asked to call the York County Sheriff’s Office at 803-628-3059.