By Curtis Killman
Tulsa World, Okla.
OKEMAH, Okla. — The Okfuskee County sheriff announced his resignation Tuesday in the wake of a jail escape that turned deadly.
Logan Manshack said in a social media post that he was stepping down effective Friday from the elected office he has held since January 2025.
“Following the recent jail escape, I have made the decision to step down from my position,” Manshack said in the post. “This is not a decision that I wanted to make.”
Manshack was referencing the December escape by Joshua Butler from the Okfuskee County jail.
Following his escape, Butler was fatally shot Dec. 31 by an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper during a traffic stop.
Okfuskee County County Commissioner James Yandell told the Tulsa World that an interim sheriff would likely need to be appointed until a special election could be held.
Manshack’s statement accepted responsibility for the escape while taking credit for improvements made to the office since being elected.
“If it were up to me, I would continue serving this county for as long as the people placed their trust in me,” Manshack’s statement continued. “However, given the circumstances surrounding this situation, it became clear that stepping aside was the path being placed in front of me.”
Manshack told other media at the time that Butler escaped Dec. 20 after removing a sink in his cell, but Butler’s absence wasn’t reported until Dec. 25.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has completed its probe into Butler’s escape and forwarded its report on the matter to the district attorney over Okfuskee County , said OSBI spokesman Hunter McKee.
District Attorney Max Cook, whose district includes Okfuskee County, could not be reached for comment on the report.
Manshack said in his statement that while he took responsibility for “my office,” he also said the jail was a “shared responsibility involving multiple levels of administration, leadership and funding.”
After taking office, Manshack said “there were significant issues within the Sheriff’s Office that required immediate attention.
Manshack said since taking office grants and funding were secured “to bring the department into modern standards” that involved replacing outdated equipment and systems.
“While the recent incident has been the focus of public attention, the circumstances surrounding my decision involve broader considerations,” Manshack said. “There are factors and discussions that the public may never fully see, but I stand by the work that was being done and the direction we were heading.”
Manshack closed by thanking “the people of Okfuskee County for the opportunity to serve” and pledging to support the community going forward.
Manshack won a June 2024 Republican primary by a vote of 267 to 244 over challenger Ray Barrett. The primary vote won Manshack the office as he faced no general election opponent. Manshack could not be reached for comment.
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