- The men had escaped using forged documents, authorities say
- Both had been sentenced to life without parole
- They were unarmed and awaiting a ride to Atlanta, offiicials say
- Men were expected in court Sunday morning
(CNN) -- A tip from an acquaintance of two convicted murderers who were mistakenly released from prison led to their arrests at a Florida motel, the commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Sunday.
Charles Walker and Joseph Jenkins were unarmed when they were taken into custody Saturday evening in Panama City, where they were awaiting a ride to Atlanta, Gerald Bailey said.
He said a "close associate" informed authorities that the men were in the area. Bailey said they were arrested without incident at the Coconut Grove Motor Inn. They had been in Bay County for only 48 hours, he said.
Walker and Jenkins are expected to appear Sunday morning at the Bay County Courthouse in Panama City.
The state Department of Corrections -- which mistakenly released the men, though it has insisted it was through no fault of its own -- said little about the arrests.
Authorities had been searching for Walker and Jenkins, both 34, after investigators discovered that the motions to reduce their respective sentences and court orders granting the requests had been forged.
Both killers had been convicted and sentenced to life behind bars without the possibility of parole within two years of their crimes.
In September 1998, Jenkins killed Roscoe Pugh Jr. during a home-invasion robbery attempt.
Six months later, Cedric Slater was gunned down on an Orlando street corner -- shot dead, a jury determined, by Walker.
Jenkins left prison on September 27, and Walker left on October 8, according to authorities.
CNN's Nick Valencia, John Zarrella, Kim Segal, Chelsea J. Carter and David Simpson contributed to this report.
