Arthur Lee Washington Jr. (November 30, 1949[1] – disappeared April 12, 1989)[2] is an American fugitive[3] and former member of the Black Liberation Army wanted for the attempted murder of a New Jersey state trooper on April 12, 1989.[4] Washington was added to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list on October 18, 1989. He remained on the list for over a decade. He was eventually dropped from the list on December 27, 2000[5] for no longer meeting the list criteria.[6] He is still wanted by New Jersey State Police, although he is presumed deceased.[7]
| Arthur Lee Washington Jr. | |
|---|---|
 FBI profile images of Arthur Lee Washington, Jr. | |
| FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive | |
| Charges | |
| Alias |
|
| Description | |
| Born | November 30, 1949 Monmouth County, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Occupation | Laborer |
| Status | |
| Added | October 18, 1989 |
| Removed | December 27, 2000 |
| Number | 427 |
| Removed from Top Ten Fugitive List | |
Attempted murder
editOn April 12, 1989, New Jersey state trooper Michael J. Clayton stopped a 1979 Ford Thunderbird for an expired inspection sticker. Washington, who was a passenger in the vehicle, got out of the car and walked away. Clayton ordered him to stop but Washington ignored his commands. As Clayton began to give chase, Washington pulled out a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun from his jacket and began firing at Clayton. Clayton returned fire, but as he paused to reload, Washington escaped on foot. No one was injured during the shootout.[8]
Fugitive
editPolice searched Washington's apartment in Asbury Park and found three other weapons; a machine gun and two handguns. A federal arrest warrant was issued for Washington on April 14, charging him with Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution and attempted murder.
Washington was added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list on October 18, 1989. He was the 427th fugitive to be placed on the list. He remained on the list for over eleven years, until he was removed on December 27, 2000 for no longer meeting the list criteria.[9] He was replaced by Eric Franklin Rosser.[10][11]
Washington still remains a fugitive and is wanted by New Jersey State Police, although by now he is believed to be dead.[12]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "FBI wanted poster of Arthur Lee Washington Jr". August 24, 1989. Archived from the original on September 3, 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024 – via eBay.
- ^ "Wanted by FBI Arthur Lee Washington, Jr". FBIMostWanted.us. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
- ^ "427. Arthur Lee Washington, Jr". Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
- ^ Silvestrini, Elaine (April 14, 1989). "Suspect in shoot-out being sought". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
- ^ "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives 401 to 500". Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
- ^ Robert Haley; Thomas Larned; Michael Heimbach; Bradley Mendenhall (January 11, 2002). "Ask the F.B.I: An addition to the "Ten Most Wanted" list". USA Today. Archived from the original on February 8, 2009. Retrieved December 2, 2008.
- ^ "New Jersey's Most Wanted Arthur Lee Washington Wanted for Attempted Murder of a NJ State Trooper". New Jersey State Police. Archived from the original on April 12, 2018.
- ^ "FBI places city man on most-wanted list". Asbury Park Press. October 19, 1989. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
- ^ Demasters, Karen (7 January 2001). "Briefing: Law Enforcement; Less Wanted". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
- ^ "Reno puts child-porn suspect on FBI list". Deseret News. December 28, 2000. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
- ^ "FBI targets paedophile suspect". BBC News. December 27, 2000. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
- ^ "New Jersey fugitives who have graced the FBI's '10 Most Wanted' list". NJ.com. March 16, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
