Chilling footage has been released for the first time showing the Alabama father moments after he escaped from the grave, still bleeding and clutching his throat, begging police for help to retrieve his son's body.

The video, which appears to have been recorded on a camera mounted inside a police car, was reportedly released by the Russell County Sheriff's Department just days ago - despite being captured on the night of the crime, February 18, 2002.

That night Mr Bowyer opened the door of his home to two men claiming to be narcotics officers, according to the New York Times. They pushed Mr Bowyer and his son into a car, took his money and slit his throat. Mr Bowyer was thrown into a shallow grave where he pretended to be dead.

He heard gunshots and shortly after his son's body was thrown on top of him.

Mr Bowyer later dug himself out of the grave and helped police capture two men - Michael David Carruth and Jimmy Lee Brooks Jr - who are now on death row in Alabama.

It is unclear why the footage has been released 14 years after the crime. Russell County Sheriff's office has been contacted for comment.

In the video, an officer can be heard calling in the crime, telling his office: "I got a man that's been cut to hell and said his son's been shot three times.

"He was buried and dug himself out ... this is a bad one."

The officer can be heard saying the man's son has been "buried in a grave down here at Uchee and he wants to go get him."

Fairfax Media