INDIANAPOLIS - A fleeing felon is back behind bars, but he told RTV6 that he ran because someone is out to kill him.

Tommy Warren, 30, was serving time in connection with the quadruple Hovey Street murders. Warren was on work release when he took off.  His sentence would have been complete in August.

When RTV6 asked Warren why he walked away from work release, Warren said, "You would too, if someone was going to kill you."

Warren was convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery in the 2008 Hovey Street case that ended with two young mothers and their children murdered inside their home. 

Prosecutors say Warren hatched the scheme for the robbery but was not there the night of the slaughter. 

Warren was serving his work release at Volunteers of America and failed to return on March 7. He told his mother that Hovey Street folks were after him.

"He came and told me, 'Mama, I'm going to leave that place because somebody is trying to kill me,'" Warren's mother, Minnie Warren, said. "I said, 'No, go back and talk to the people and tell them what's going on. Just don't leave because you're almost done with your sentence.' He left one morning going to work and some people were following him."

Police finally found Warren Monday afternoon at a residence in the 800 block of North Riley Avenue.

"Mr. Warren decided to hide in the attic. They were able to make an apprehension and take him back into custody," said Metro police spokeswoman Linda Jackson.

Deputy Prosecutor Kevin Kelly said Warren's fears for his life don't justify his disappearance.

"Right now, we're still looking into what happened," Kelly said. "We'll be ready for the hearing at that time."

Warren's community correction violation hearing is set for March 25.

Prosecutors have not determined if they will file escape charges against him.