FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, 1980s

The FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives during the 1980s is a list, maintained for a fourth decade, of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.

FBI headlines in the 1980s

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During the 1980s, the FBI added the names of the two longest-lasting profiles of the Top Ten Fugitives. The current longest member, Victor Manuel Gerena became the 386th fugitive to be placed on May 14, 1984, and is currently still at large.[1] The FBI added, Donald Eugene Webb, on May 4, 1981, who remained on the list until March 2007 when the FBI, presuming his death, removed his name. Webb the second longest member of the list, remained on 25 years, 10 months and 27 days.[2] The 1980s also brought the first man-and-woman couple listed together, who were FALN terrorist group associates Donna Jean Willmott and Claude Daniel Marks. The couple surrendered together seven years later, then pleaded guilty together to a Leavenworth prison breakout conspiracy from 1987.

Among other prominent fugitives in the decade were Mutulu Shakur, the stepfather of the later famed rapper Tupac Shakur, and also appearing was the sociopath Charles Ng, who had teamed up with the infamous Leonard Lake in as many as 25 sex-slave torture-murders at Lake's ranch in California. The boss of the Colombo crime family, Carmine Persico, also made the list in the 1980s.

The decade also was marked by the start of the popular Fox television program America's Most Wanted in 1988, which became a major new publicity venue for profiling and then the apprehension of many of the FBI's Top Ten Fugitives.

FBI 10 Most Wanted Fugitives to begin the 1980s

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The FBI in the past has identified individuals by the sequence number in which each individual has appeared on the list. Some individuals have even appeared twice, and often a sequence number was permanently assigned to an individual suspect who was soon caught, captured, or simply removed, before their appearance could be published on the publicly released list. In those cases, the public would see only gaps in the number sequence reported by the FBI. For convenient reference, the wanted suspect's sequence number and date of entry on the FBI list appear below, whenever possible.

As the new decade opened, the following Fugitives from prior years still remained at large, as the members of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list:

Name Sequence Number Date of Entry Notes
Charles Lee Herron #265 1968  • Arrested in June 1986
Katherine Ann Power #315 1970  • Surrendered to authorities in 1993
Joseph Maurice McDonald #339 1976  • Arrested September 15, 1982
Raymond Luc Levasseur #350 1977  • Arrested November 4, 1984
Carlos Alberto Torres #356 1977  • Arrested April 4, 1980
Charles Everett Hughes #364 1978  • Arrested April 29, 1981
Leo Joseph Koury #366 1979  • Eluded the FBI for 12 years before dying of a stroke on June 16, 1991.[3]
John William Sherman #367 1979  • Arrested December 17, 1981
Earl Edwin Austin #370 1979  • Arrested March 1, 1980
Vincent James Russo #371 1979  • Arrested January 4, 1985

FBI Most Wanted Fugitives added during the 1980s

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The most wanted fugitives listed in the decade of the 1980s includes (in FBI list appearance sequence order):[4][5]

1980–1985

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Name Sequence Number Date of Entry Time Listed
Albert Victory #372 March 14, 1980 One year
Albert Victory was arrested at his home on February 24, 1981, after being traced by New York State Police to Lafayette, California.
Ronald Turney Williams #373 April 16, 1980 One year
Ronald Turney Williams was arrested on June 8, 1981, at a stakeout at George Washington Hotel in New York City; was shot and wounded by an FBI Agent.
Daniel Jay Barney #374 March 10, 1981 One month
Daniel Jay Barney died from a suicidal gunshot following a hostage crisis on April 19, 1981, where he had taken four hostages in a condo in Denver, Colorado. After two escaped and the police negotiated the release of the other two hostages, Barney killed himself.
Donald Eugene Webb #375 May 4, 1981 Removed from the list
 
Donald Eugene Webb was wanted in connection with the December 4, 1980, murder of the police chief in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, who was shot twice at close range after being brutally beaten about the head and face with a blunt instrument. After eluding capture for over two decades he was removed from the list on March 31, 2007, without ever being located.[6] On July 14, 2017, remains found at the Dartmouth home of Webb's wife were identified as belonging to Webb. Investigators stated that Webb had died in 1999.[7]
Gilbert James Everett #376 May 13, 1981 Four years
Gilbert James Everett was arrested on August 12, 1985, by local police in Bismarck, Arkansas.
Leslie Nichols #377 July 2, 1981 Five months
Leslie Nichols was arrested on December 17, 1981, in his apartment in Los Angeles, California, by FBI Agents and local police.
Thomas William Manning #378 January 29, 1982 Three years
Thomas William Manning was arrested on April 24, 1985, in Norfolk, Virginia.
David Fountain Kimberly Jr. #379 January 29, 1982 Six months
David Fountain Kimberly Jr. was arrested without incident on July 8, 1982, in Matecumbe Key, Florida, by FBI Agents; despite being armed with a loaded .38 caliber tucked in his waistband.
Mutulu Shakur #380 July 23, 1982 Four years
 
Mutulu Shakur was arrested February 11, 1986, in Los Angeles, California, on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act charges for bank robbery to finance a militant organization, and for having aided Assata Shakur (unrelated), in her escape from prison in New Jersey, where she had been incarcerated for the murder and wounding of one state trooper and another Black Panther member accompanying her in 1973 while stopped on the New Jersey Turnpike.
Charles Edward Watson #381 October 22, 1982 One year
Charles Edward Watson was arrested October 25, 1983, in Slatington, Pennsylvania, while leaving his residence.
Laney Gibson Jr. #382 November 28, 1983 Three weeks
Laney Gibson Jr. was arrested December 18, 1983, in Montgomery, Alabama, at a suburban motel.
George Clarence Bridgette #383 January 10, 1984 Three weeks
George Clarence Bridgette was arrested January 30, 1984, in Miami, Florida, after a civilian recognized his photo from an Identification Order in a post office.
Samuel Marks Humphrey #384 February 29, 1984 One month
Samuel Marks Humphrey was arrested March 22, 1984, in Portland, Oregon.
Christopher Bernard Wilder #385 April 5, 1984 One week
 
Christopher Bernard Wilder was killed in a shootout with police at a gas station in Colebrook, New Hampshire, on April 13, 1984. He was wanted for the murders of several young women in several different states.
Victor Manuel Gerena #386 May 14, 1984 Still at large but removed from the list
 
Victor Manuel Gerena is wanted in connection with the 1983 armed robbery of approximately $7 million from a security company in Connecticut. He allegedly took two security employees hostage at gunpoint and then handcuffed, bound and injected them with an unknown substance in order to further disable them.[8] He was removed from the list on December 15, 2016. He was on the list for 32 years, seven months and one day - the longest anyone has been on the list.
Wai-Chiu Ng #387 June 15, 1984 Four months
Wai-Chiu Ng was acquitted in April 1985 of murder but convicted of 13 counts of first-degree robbery, and sentenced to seven consecutive life terms. He was arrested October 4, 1984, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He became the third suspect, charged in absentia on March 30, 1983, with 13 counts of aggravated first-degree murder; wanted in the February 19, 1983 Wah Mee massacre, the worst mass killing in the history of Seattle, Washington, during which thirteen people were shot to death at the Wah Mee Club, a gambling club in Seattle's International District.[9]
Alton Coleman #388 July 17, 1984 Three days
 
Alton Coleman was executed by the state of Ohio on April 26, 2002. He was arrested July 20, 1984, in Evanston, Illinois, by local police due to civilian cooperation; was wanted for the murder of 44-year-old Marlene Walters of Norwood, Ohio, among others, during a six-state killing spree in 1984.
Cleveland McKinley Davis #389 October 24, 1984 Three months
Cleveland McKinley Davis was arrested January 25, 1985, in New York City by FBI Agents and local police.
Carmine Persico #390 January 31, 1985 Two weeks
Carmine Persico a.k.a. Junior was serving a 100-year sentence after being convicted of murder and labor and construction racketeering in 1986. He was arrested February 15, 1985, in Wantagh, New York, by FBI Agents. Persico was boss of the New York-based Colombo crime family.
Lohman Ray Mays Jr. #391 February 15, 1985 Seven months
Lohman Ray Mays Jr. was arrested September 23, 1985, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, by local police.
Charles Earl Hammond #392 March 14, 1985 One year
Charles Earl Hammond was wanted in connection to drug-related murders in Kansas City in May 1980 along with brother Michael Hammond.[10] Apprehended August 4, 1986.
Michael Frederic Allen Hammond #393 March 14, 1985 One year
Michael Frederic Allen Hammond was wanted in connection to drug-related murders in Kansas City in May 1980 along with brother Charles Hammond.[10]
Robert Henry Nicolaus #394 June 28, 1985 One month
Robert Henry Nicolaus was arrested July 20, 1985, in York, Pennsylvania, after a civilian recognized his photo on an Identification Order at a post office.
David Jay Sterling #395 September 30, 1985 Five months
David Jay Sterling was arrested February 13, 1986, after being pulled over in a routine traffic stop near Covington, Louisiana, by local police.
Richard Joseph Scutari #396 September 30, 1985 Six months
Richard Joseph Scutari was arrested March 19, 1986, in San Antonio, Texas. He is currently serving a 60-year sentence.[11]
Joseph William Dougherty #397 November 6, 1985 One year
Joseph William Dougherty was arrested December 19, 1986, by FBI Agents in Antioch, California, outside a local laundromat.

1986–1989

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Name Sequence Number Date of Entry Time Listed
Brian Patrick Malverty #398 March 28, 1986 One week
Brian Patrick Malverty was arrested April 7, 1986, in San Diego, California, after a civilian recognized his photo on an Identification Order at a post office.
Billy Ray Waldon #399 May 16, 1986 One month
 
Billy Ray Waldon was arrested on June 16, 1986, in San Diego, California, after local police attempted to pull him over for a routine traffic citation. Initially sentenced to death for his crimes, Waldon's conviction was overturned in 2023.[12]
Claude Lafayette Dallas Jr. #400 May 16, 1986 One year
Claude Lafayette Dallas Jr. was arrested March 8, 1987, in Riverside, California, by FBI Agents while he was leaving a convenience store.
Donald Keith Williams #401 July 18, 1986 One month
Donald Keith Williams was arrested August 20, 1986, in Los Angeles, California, by FBI Agents through assistance of a concerned civilian.
Terry Lee Conner #402 August 8, 1986 Four months
Terry Lee Conner was arrested December 9, 1986, in Arlington Heights, Illinois, by the U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI.
Fillmore Raymond Cross #403 August 8, 1986 Four months
Fillmore Raymond Cross surrendered voluntarily to the FBI on December 23, 1986, in San Francisco, California. Cross, a former president of the Hells Angels motorcycle group in San Jose, California, was wanted for supposedly beating a businessman in an extortion scheme.
James Wesley Dyess #404 September 29, 1986 Two years
James Wesley Dyess was arrested March 16, 1988, in Los Angeles, California, when he was stopped on a routine traffic violation and recognized by a Los Angeles Police Department officer.
Danny Michael Weeks #405 September 29, 1986 Two years
Danny Michael Weeks was arrested March 20, 1988, at his son's home in Seattle, Washington, due to an FBI task force and civilian cooperation. He had been featured on America's Most Wanted.
Mike Wayne Jackson #406 October 1, 1986 One day
Mike Wayne Jackson killed his probation officer in Indianapolis on September 22, 1986, before fleeing to Missouri. He committed suicide by shotgun on October 2, 1986, in Wright City, Missouri.[13]
Thomas George Harrelson #407 November 28, 1986 Three months
Thomas George Harrelson was arrested February 9, 1987, in Drayton, North Dakota, while trying to flee the scene of a bank robbery.
Robert Allen Litchfield #408 January 20, 1987 Four months
Robert Allen Litchfield was arrested May 20, 1987, at Lake Tahoe in Zephyr Cove, Nevada, by FBI Agents in close cooperation with the U.S. Marshal Service and the Sheriff's office.
David James Roberts #409 April 27, 1987 Ten months
David James Roberts was arrested February 11, 1988, in Staten Island, New York, in an apartment after hiding for four days, due to FBI investigation and civilian information. He was convicted for murder, kidnapping, arson and rape, and was given six life sentences in an Indiana State Prison. However, after his daring escape from a prison vehicle while on the way to the state prison, he worked as the director of a homeless shelter in Staten Island, New York, under his alias Bob Lord. He had seen himself on the first episode of a reality TV show from FOX called America's Most Wanted (AMW) on February 7, 1988. He was not only the first fugitive to be profiled in such show, but also the first direct capture as a result of the program and the first from the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. He is currently serving several consecutive life sentences at Pendleton Correctional Facility in Indiana.
Ronald Glyn Triplett #410 April 27, 1987 Three weeks
Ronald Glyn Triplett was arrested May 16, 1987, in Tempe, Arizona.
Claude Daniel Marks #411 May 22, 1987 Seven years
Claude Daniel Marks pleaded guilty on May 9, 1995, to a prison escape conspiracy in Illinois. He surrendered December 6, 1994, along with his partner Willmott (Fugitive #412). He and Willmott had purchased 36 pounds of explosive from undercover FBI in 1985 to attempt to free a FALN leader from Leavenworth prison.
Donna Jean Willmott #412 May 22, 1987 Seven years
Donna Jean Willmott pleaded guilty on May 9, 1995, to a prison escape conspiracy in Illinois. She surrendered on December 6, 1994, along with her partner Marks (Fugitive #411). She and Marks had purchased 36 pounds of explosive from an undercover FBI agent in 1985 to attempt to free a FALN leader from Leavenworth prison.
Darren Dee O'Neall #413 June 25, 1987 Four months
 
Darren Dee O'Neall was arrested October 25, 1987, on an auto-theft charge in Lakeland, Florida.[14] Louisiana State Police later discovered his "Top Ten" identity. O'Neall had been wanted for the rape and murder of multiple women.
Louis Ray Beam Jr. #414 July 14, 1987 Four months
Louis Ray Beam Jr. was arrested November 6, 1987, at home with his wife in Guadalajara, Mexico. During the arrest, Beam's wife opened fire and critically injured a Mexican police officer.
Ted Jeffery Otsuki #415 January 22, 1988 Eight months
Ted Jeffery Otsuki was arrested September 4, 1988, in Guadalajara by Mexican Federal Judicial Police and the FBI who had set up a surveillance team and waited for him at his apartment. He had been featured on America's Most Wanted.
Pedro Luis Estrada #416 April 15, 1988 One year
Pedro Luis Estrada was arrested October 1, 1989, by a SWAT team of FBI Agents at his home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He had been featured on America's Most Wanted which received information leading to his arrest.
John Edward Stevens #417 May 29, 1988 Six months
John Edward Stevens was arrested November 30, 1988, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was found in a motel with his girlfriend. He had been featured on America's Most Wanted and suspected of more than 25 robberies in eight states.[15]
Jack Darrell Farmer #418 May 29, 1988 Three days
Jack Darrell Farmer was arrested June 1, 1988, in Lantana, Florida, after being featured on America's Most Wanted. He was recognized by a co-worker who called in. He was the leader of Chicago's "Little Mafia" gang.
Roger Lee Jones #419 May 29, 1988 One year
Roger Lee Jones was arrested March 4, 1989, in Great Falls, Montana, at KOA campground, after being featured on America's Most Wanted. He was the first suspected child-molester to be named to the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list.[16]
Terry Lee Johnson #420 June 12, 1988 Two months
Terry Lee Johnson was arrested August 17, 1988, in San Diego, California by the San Diego Police Department. Johnson was sleeping in his pick-up when local police, upon noticing his truck had expired tags, arrested him on an unrelated traffic warrant under the name Lee Johnson. After spending several days in San Diego County Jail Johnson was being released. FBI agents at the County Jail picking up another prisoner recognized Johnson from a recent episode of "Americas Most Wanted" and stopped his release.
Stanley Faison #421 November 27, 1988 One month
Stanley Faison was arrested December 24, 1988, in Detroit, Michigan, by FBI and local police. He had been featured on America's Most Wanted.
Steven Ray Stout #422 November 27, 1988 One week
Steven Ray Stout was arrested December 6, 1988, in Gulfport, Mississippi, after being featured on America's Most Wanted.
Armando Garcia #423 January 8, 1989 Five years
Armando Garcia was arrested January 18, 1994, after being featured on America's Most Wanted.
Melvin Edward Mays #424 February 7, 1989 Six years
Melvin Edward Mays was arrested March 9, 1995, by the FBI's Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force. He was wanted for terror conspiracy on behalf of Libya. Mays evaded arrest in 1986 and was featured on America's Most Wanted as well as Unsolved Mysteries.
Bobby G. Dennie #425 February 24, 1989 Eight months
Bobby G. Dennie was arrested October 28, 1989, in Lake Wales, Florida, by the FBI and Polk County detectives after receiving information following his feature on Unsolved Mysteries. He had also been featured on America's Most Wanted.
Costabile "Gus" Farace #426 February 24, 1989 Nine months
Costabile "Gus" Farace was murdered by an unknown assailant in Brooklyn on November 17, 1989. He had been featured on America's Most Wanted.
Arthur Lee Washington Jr. #427 October 18, 1989 Still at large but removed from the list
 
Arthur Lee Washington Jr. is wanted in the attempted murder of a New Jersey state trooper using a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun on April 12, 1989.[17] Washington had been associated in the past with militant black prison groups and the Black Liberation Army. There was evidence that he may have been an injection drug user, due to the old track marks on both arms. He was removed from the list in December 2000 for no longer meeting the list criteria.[18] He is still wanted by New Jersey State Police.[19]
Lee Nell Carter #428 November 19, 1989 One day
Lee Nell Carter was arrested November 20, 1989, in Detroit by FBI Agents and Detroit police. Civilians identified him during the broadcast of America's Most Wanted. He was wanted for a shooting spree that left a woman dead and two men injured.
Wardell David Ford #429 December 20, 1989 Nine months
Wardell David Ford was arrested September 17, 1990, in New Haven, Connecticut, after being featured on America's Most Wanted. He had also been featured on Unsolved Mysteries.

End of the decade

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As the decade closed, the following were still at large as the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives:

Name Sequence number Date of entry
Leo Joseph Koury #366 1979
Donald Eugene Webb #375 1981
Victor Manuel Gerena #386 1984
Claude Daniel Marks #411 1987
Donna Jean Willmott #412 1987
Armando Garcia #423 1989
Melvin Edward Mays #424 1989
Arthur Lee Washington Jr. #427 1989
Wardell David Ford #429 1989

One spot on the list of Ten remained unfilled from a capture late in the year 1989. It was filled the next month in 1990.

FBI directors in the 1980s

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References

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  1. ^ "Ten Most Wanted Fugatives". The Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  2. ^ Friedman, Megan (June 23, 2011). "Top 10 Notorious Fugitives". Time Inc. Archived from the original on March 23, 2010. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  3. ^ Matera, Dary (2004). FBI's Ten Most Wanted: From James Earl Ray to Osama Bin Laden. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-052435-7.
  4. ^ Federal Bureau of Investigation (2000). FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives Program - 50th Anniversary 1950-2000. K&D Limited, Inc.
  5. ^ "A Chronological Listing of the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" March 14, 1950 – January 1, 2000" (PDF). Federal Bureau of Investigation. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 27, 2002. Retrieved March 2, 2009.
  6. ^ Maskaly, Michelle (October 27, 2008). "Wanted: Donald Eugene Webb for the Murder of a Pennsylvania Police Chief". FOX News. Archived from the original on October 30, 2008. Retrieved December 2, 2008.
  7. ^ Victoria Warren, Remains found in Dartmouth yard are those of fugitive wanted for killing police chief, The Associated Press via WHDH News, July 14, 2017
  8. ^ "Victor Manuel Gerena". Federal Bureau of Investigation. May 1984. Archived from the original on December 2, 2008. Retrieved December 2, 2008.
  9. ^ Johnson, Tracy (April 30, 2002). "Mak spared death for Wah Mee killings Ruling may finally settle 19-year legal fight". The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved December 2, 2008.
  10. ^ a b "Brothers Added to Most Wanted List". Historic Missouri Newspaper Project. Retrieved December 2, 2008. [dead link]
  11. ^ "White Supremacist Plotter Gets 60 Years". The Philadelphia Inquirer. June 6, 1986.
  12. ^ "Conviction, death sentence overturned for man in three 1985 San Diego murders". 10News San Diego. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  13. ^ Brashler, Bill (February 7, 1993). "A Banal Story Of a Banal Murder Spree". Chicago Sun-Times.
  14. ^ "Darren Dee O'Neall". FBI. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  15. ^ "Arrest Fugitive". The Bryan Times. December 1, 1988. Retrieved December 2, 2008.
  16. ^ "Man Is Found Guilty Of Sex Acts With Child". The Miami Herald. August 30, 1990.
  17. ^ Silvestrini, Elaine (April 14, 1989). "Suspect in shoot-out being sought". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ "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.
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