by Indianapolis, Indiana – Authorities in Indianapolis, Indiana, are investigating a bizarre mix-up that led to the wrong inmate being released from jail — all because the two men involved are identical twins.
According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, brothers Darrell Austin and Daron Austin were both behind bars for separate criminal cases when the confusion unfolded.
Bond Posted — for the Wrong Twin
The sheriff’s department said bond had been posted for Daron Austin on Friday afternoon. However, due to their nearly identical appearances and names, jail staff mistakenly retrieved and processed Darrell Austin for release instead.
Officials said Darrell was facing multiple charges, including theft, criminal mischief, and battery by bodily waste. It remains unclear what specific charges Daron was held on.
Within hours of the blunder, the department realized the error. “The sheriff’s office immediately notified the court, obtained an arrest warrant, and dispatched its warrant unit to bring Darrell Austin back into custody,” the agency said in a statement.
Caught Without Incident
According to NBC affiliate WTHR, deputies quickly located and re-arrested Darrell Austin later that same evening. Authorities said he was taken into custody “without incident.”
However, the ordeal didn’t end there — Darrell now faces an additional charge of escape, after preliminary evidence indicated he knowingly impersonated his brother during the release process.
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Sheriff’s Office Acknowledges Mistake
Major Ben Bostock of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office addressed the situation candidly, admitting the incident stemmed from a rare but serious error.
“There’s no excuse — we own it,” Bostock said in a statement. “This is a highly unusual set of circumstances. Two people with similar names, the same date of birth, and nearly identical appearance were in our jail at the same time, and staff were operating under a valid bond.”
Bostock added that some policies were not strictly followed, and the incident has been referred to Internal Affairs for investigation. “The staff members responsible will be held accountable,” he said.
An Unusual Case of Mistaken Identity
Cases like this are exceedingly rare, but they underscore how difficult inmate identification can be when biological similarities and record-keeping errors collide.
Authorities are now reviewing jail procedures to ensure that future releases undergo additional verification steps — especially in cases involving relatives or individuals with similar identifiers.
The sheriff’s office confirmed that Darrell Austin remains in custody, while Daron Austin’s case continues separately. For more updates on law enforcement and criminal justice stories, visit race-day-live.com.
