HOUSTON -- A convicted murderer escaped from the Harris County Jail in downtown Houston Thursday afternoon after changing into civilian clothes and obtaining an identification tag, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Charles Victor Thompson, 35, escaped from 1200 Baker St. at about 3:30 p.m.

Thompson was convicted of capital murder in the April 1998 shooting deaths of Dennise Hayslip and Darren Cain and was sentenced to the death penalty.

"He managed to get some civilian clothing. He also had some kind of a tag that indicated he was with the attorney general's office and convinced one of our jailers that he was with the A.G.'s office and they let him out of the building. We're still looking into where he got the clothing, where he got the tag, exactly how he was able to get out of the secure area of the facility," said Lt. John Martin, with the Harris County Sheriff's Department.

Thompson is described as a white man, 5 feet 10 inches, weighing approximately 180 pounds. The inmate was wearing a dark blue shirt, khaki pants and white tennis shoes when he was last spotted.

He is considered extremely dangerous and should not be approached if spotted.

A search is under way by air and on the ground.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Harris County Sheriff's Office at (713) 221-6000 or the Criminal Warrants Division at (713) 755-6055.