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# Ten Most Wanted Fugitives FAQ

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# Ten Most Wanted Fugitives FAQ

The following contains current and historical information for internal and external distribution. This information is based on FBI records and is updated by the Investigative Publicity and Public Affairs Unit, Office of Public Affairs.

The FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list has been in existence since March 14, 1950. A reporter for the International News Service (the predecessor to United Press International) asked the Bureau for the names and descriptions of the “toughest guys” the Bureau would like to capture. The resulting story generated so much publicity and had so much appeal that late FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover implemented the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” program. The first person to be placed on the list was Thomas James Holden, wanted for the murder of his wife, her brother, and her stepbrother.

Since its inception, 532 fugitives have been on the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list, and 494 have been apprehended or located. Some interesting facts about the program are: 
                    163 fugitives have been captured/located as a result of citizen cooperation.
Two fugitives were apprehended as a result of visitors on an FBI tour.
The shortest amount of time spent on the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list was two hours, by Billy Austin Bryant in 1969.
The longest amount of time spent on the "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" list was over 32 years by Victor Manuel Gerena.
Nine fugitives were arrested prior to publication and release, but are still considered as officially on the list.
The oldest person to be placed on the list was 80-year-old Eugene Palmer, who was added in May of 2019.

This program relies heavily on the assistance of citizens and the media. Publicity from coast to coast and around the world is important.

### Frequently Asked Questions  

**What is the purpose of the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” Program?**

The “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” program is a publicity program founded by the FBI in March of 1950 in conjunction with the nation’s news media. It is designed to publicize particularly dangerous fugitives who might not otherwise merit nationwide attention. The FBI recognizes the need for public assistance in tracking fugitives. One hundred and sixty-three of the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitive” apprehensions have been the result of citizen recognition of “Ten Most Wanted Fugitive” publicity.

**How many fugitives have been captured due to public assistance?**

One hundred and sixty-three of the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” have been apprehended due to public assistance.

**When was the Program started?**

It was founded on March 14, 1950, by the FBI in association with the nation’s news media.

**Who actually decides which fugitives go on the list?**

The Criminal Investigative Division (CID) at FBI Headquarters calls upon all 56 Field Offices to submit candidates for the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list. The nominees received are reviewed by Special Agents in the CID and the Office of Public Affairs. The selection of the “proposed” candidate(s) is then forwarded to FBI Executive Management for final approval.

**On what criteria is that decision made?**

First, the individual must have a lengthy record of committing serious crimes and/or be considered a particularly dangerous menace to society due to current criminal charges.

Second, it must be believed that the nationwide publicity afforded by the program can be of assistance in apprehending the fugitive, who, in turn, should not already be notorious due to other publicity.

**Are members of the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list ranked?**

No.

**When are fugitives removed from the list?**

“Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” are only removed from the list when they meet one of the following conditions:

First, they are captured.

Second, the federal process pending against the individual is dismissed—this is not an FBI decision.

Third, they no longer fit “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” criteria.

In the thirteen cases where fugitives were removed for the third reason, it was determined that each fugitive was no longer considered to be a “particularly dangerous menace to society.” When a fugitive is removed from the list, another is added to take his or her place.

**How many women have been on the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list?**

Eleven. The first, Ruth Eisemann-Schier, was added in 1968 for kidnapping, extortion, and other crimes.

**Has the makeup of the fugitives on the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list changed over the years?**

Most definitely, just as the priorities of the FBI have changed. Through the 1950s, the list was primarily comprised of bank robbers, burglars, and car thieves. Once into the radical 1960s, the list reflected the revolutionaries of the times with destruction of Government property, sabotage, and kidnapping dominating the list. During the 1970s, with the FBI’s concentration on organized crime and terrorism, the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” included many fugitives with organized crime ties or links to terrorist groups. In the 1980s and 1990s, the list included sexual predators, international terrorists, and drug traffickers. This emphasis, along with crimes against children, white collar crime, and gang violence, continues today.

**How many fugitives have been on the list?**

As of November 15, 2023, there have been 532 fugitives on the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list. Four hundred and ninety four individuals appearing on the list have been located, 163 of them as a direct result of citizen cooperation.

**Has the publicity generated by the program changed over the years?**

Just as the composition of the list of “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” has changed over the years, the media outlets available for publicizing these fugitives have also changed. Traditionally, newspapers and magazines captured the attention of the domestic reader with profiles and photographs of America’s fugitives. Nine of the first 20 “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” were arrested due to citizen cooperation, including the very first “Ten Most Wanted Fugitive,” Thomas Holden, who was arrested after a citizen recognized his photograph in an Oregon newspaper. Today, editors and news directors want the local angle, which is not always present in a story. Therefore, the program relies heavily on publicity from coast to coast. “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” have been apprehended in every state except Alaska, Maine, and Delaware.

Currently, the FBI is also using television, the Internet, and Podcasts to attract public attention to the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitive” list. Networks are airing television programs on FBI fugitives and, as a result of the first episode of “America’s Most Wanted,” David James Roberts was captured. To date, seventeen “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” have been located as a direct result of tips provided by viewers of this program.

In addition to television and radio, the FBI has begun to use cyberspace to inform the public. Postings on the FBI’s Internet website, www.fbi.gov, have led to the apprehension of three of the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.”

**How many “special additions” have been made to the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list?**

Ramzi Ahmed Yousef made the thirteenth fugitive to become a “special addition.” The first “special addition” was Richard Laurence Marquette who was wanted for murder. The second was James Earl Ray, wanted for the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

**Are there rewards offered for “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives"?**

At a minimum, a reward of up to $250,000 is offered by the FBI for information which leads directly to the arrest of a “Ten Most Wanted Fugitive". In some instances, the reward amount offered is more than $250,000.

**Did the FBI ever have a “Ten Most Wanted Public Enemies” Program before the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” Program began?**

No. The FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice made use of the term, “Public Enemy,” in the 1930s, an era in which the term was synonymous with “fugitive” or “notorious gangster.” It was used in speeches, books, press releases, and internal memoranda. However, neither the FBI nor the Department had any type of publicity program which concentrated on a “Public Enemy” number 1, number 2, etc.

The origin of the name, “Public Enemy,” has been traced to the Chicago Crime Commission, which invented the term around 1930. “Public Enemy” caught national attention, and the Commission maintained lists of its “Public Enemies” which were released through the news media. In addition, the term was popularized by a 1931 movie, “The Public Enemy,” in which James Cagney portrayed a gangster.

Common usage of the name, “Public Enemy,” died out during the World War II period.

**What commercial uses of the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” are allowed?**

None. Commercial use is strictly prohibited. Descriptions and pictures of the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” are provided for the sole purpose of eliciting public assistance in tracking fugitives.

# “TEN MOST WANTED FUGITIVE” STATISTICS 

####       **Year...............Total Located **

                    - 1950.................... 8
                    - 1951.................... 11
                    - 1952.................... 12
                    - 1953.................... 26
                    - 1954.................... 15
                    - 1955.................... 12
                    - 1956.................... 7
                    - 1957.................... 2
                    - 1958.................... 7a
                    - 1959.................... 14
                    - 1960.................... 21b
                    - 1961.................... 15c
                    - 1962.................... 14
                    - 1963.................... 6d
                    - 1964.................... 19e
                    - 1965.................... 20f,g,h
                    - 1966.................... 16
                    - 1967.................... 17i,j
                    - 1968.................... 33
                    - 1969.................... 11
                    - 1970.................... 5
                    - 1971.................... 3
                    - 1972.................... 2k,l
                    - 1973.................... 4m
                    - 1974.................... 7
                    - 1975.................... 7
                    - 1976.................... 9
                    - 1977.................... 11
                    - 1978.................... 6
                    - 1979.................... 6
                    - 1980.................... 2
                    - 1981.................... 6
                    - 1982.................... 2
                    - 1983.................... 2
                    - 1984.................... 6
                    - 1985.................... 7
                    - 1986.................... 11n,o
                    - 1987.................... 6
                    - 1988.................... 9
                    - 1989.................... 5
                    - 1990.................... 2
                    - 1991.................... 2
                    - 1992.................... 1
                    - 1993.................... 0
                    - 1994.................... 6
                    - 1995.................... 3
                    - 1996.................... 4
                    - 1997.................... 3
                    - 1998.................... 3
                    - 1999.................... 4
                    - 2000.................... 2
                    - 2001.................... 9
                    - 2002.................... 6
                    - 2003.................... 1
                    - 2004.................... 3
                    - 2005.................... 0
                    - 2006.................... 5
                    - 2007.................... 3
                    - 2008.................... 2
                    - 2009.................... 3
                    - 2010.................... 0
                    - 2011.................... 2
                    - 2012.................... 2
                    - 2013.................... 3
                    - 2014.................... 3
                    - 2015.................... 0
                    - 2016.................... 6
                    - 2017.................... 4
                    - 2018.................... 3
                    - 2019.....................2
                    - 2020.....................2
                    - 2021.....................0
                    - 2022.....................3
                    - 2023.....................1

#### **Process Dismissed:**

a. Mitchell - 7/18/1958b. Pero - 12/2/1960c. Diggs - 12/14/1961d. Keegan - 12/13/1963e. Tenuto - 3/9/1964f. O’Brien - 1/14/1965g. Newman - 6/11/1965h. Payne - 11/26/1965i. Collins - 3/30/1967j. Maps - 12/1/1967k. Teaford - 5/24/1972l. Clouser - 8/1/1972m. Dohrn - 12/7/1973n. C. Hammond - 8/4/1986o. M. Hammond - 8/4/1986

#### **Removed from List:** 

D. A. Armstrong 4/1/1976L. F. Burt 4/7/1976B. H. Paddock 5/5/1977K. A. Power 6/15/1984A. L. Washington 12/27/2000D. E. Webb 3/31/2007S. Mogilevich 12/17/2015G. S. Godwin 5/19/2016V. M. Gerena  12/15/2016W. B. Bishop, Jr.  6/27/2018R. W. Fisher  11/3/2021E. Palmer  7/20/2022J.D. Brown  9/7/2022

#### **Year in Which Highest Number Located:** 

1968....................33

#### **Longest Time on List:**

Victor Manuel GerenaDates:  5/14/84 - 12/15/16

#### **Shortest Time on List:**

Billie Austin Bryant Dates: 1/8/69 {5 pm} - 1/8/69 {7 pm} (Special Addition)

#### **Woman on List the Longest:**

Katherine Ann Power Dates: 10/17/70 - 6/15/84

#### **First Person Placed on List: **

Thomas J. Holden Wanted For: UFAP for murderDates: 3/14/50 - 6/23/51

#### **Oldest Person on List:**

Eugene Palmer. Born: 4/4/39 Dates: 5/29/19 - 7/20/22

#### **Breakdown of the Apprehensions:** 

FBI................................240 Local.............................100 Joint...............................76 Killed During Capture....13 Surrendered..................25 Foreign Authorities.......41*

*59 fugitives were captured in foreign countries, but several were captured as the result of a joint effort.

#### **Apprehension by Publicity:**

Internet...........................5Television.......................28 Radio...............................2 Newspapers...................33 Magazines.....................13 Wanted Notices.............50 Total.............................131

NCIC Hits.......................2

Other:

Found Deceased...........14

#### **Persons Appearing on the List More Than Once: **

Nick George Montos Dates: 09/08/52 - 08/23/54 03/02/56 - 03/28/56Edward Sanford Garrison Dates: 10/26/53 - 11/03/53 03/04/59 - 09/09/60Ernest Tait Dates: 07/11/51 - 07/12/51 08/16/60 - 09/10/60Quay C. Kilburn Dates: 04/16/58 - 06/02/58 03/23/64 - 06/25/64Joseph Lloyd Thomas Dates: 10/21/59 - 12/10/59 09/12/69 - 03/08/70James Earl Ray Dates: 04/20/68 - 06/08/68 06/11/77 - 06/13/77

#### **Women on the List:** 

Ruth Eismann-Schier Dates: 12/28/68 - 03/05/69Marie Dean ArringtonDates: 05/29/69 - 12/22/71Angela Yvonne Davis Dates: 08/18/70 - 10/13/70Bernardine Rae DohrnDates: 10/14/70 - 12/07/73Katherine Ann PowerDates: 10/17/70 - 06/15/84Susan Edith SaxeDates: 10/17/70 - 03/27/75Donna Jean WillmottDates: 05/22/87 - 12/6/94Shauntay L. HendersonDates: 03/31/07 - 03/31/07Brenda DelgadoDates: 04/06/16 - 04/08/16Shanika S. MinorDates: 06/28/16 - 07/01/16Ruja IgnatovaDates: 06/30/22 - Present

 

#### **“TEN MOST WANTED FUGITIVE” CRIME LOCATIONS BY STATE/REGION **

Alabama 11Alaska 0Arizona 10Arkansas 5California 61Colorado 8Connecticut 4Delaware 1Florida 23Georgia 18Hawaii 0Idaho 3Illinois 39Indiana 13Iowa 4Kansas 13Kentucky 9Louisiana 7Maine 5Maryland 19Massachusetts 15Michigan 21Minnesota 5Mississippi 5Missouri 12Montana 2Nebraska 2Nevada 6New Hampshire 1New Jersey 11New Mexico 4New York 36North Carolina 9North Dakota 0Ohio 21Oklahoma 7Oregon 7Pennsylvania 20Rhode Island 0South Carolina 3South Dakota 2Tennessee 19Texas 18Utah 5Vermont 1Virginia 8Washington 11West Virginia 3Wisconsin 9Wyoming 2Washington, DC 14   TOTAL 532

#### **“TEN MOST WANTED FUGITIVE” APPREHENSIONS/LOCATIONS BY STATE/REGION:**

Alabama 3Alaska 0Arizona 12Arkansas 5California 62Colorado 11Connecticut 3Delaware 0Florida 32Georgia 9Hawaii 2Idaho 2Illinois 32Indiana 6Iowa 3Kansas 5Kentucky 5Louisiana 11Maine 0Maryland 12Massachusetts 9Michigan 11Minnesota 6Mississippi 5Missouri 14Montana 2Nebraska 2Nevada 10New Hampshire 3New Jersey 5New Mexico 2New York 40North Carolina 6North Dakota 1Ohio 16Oklahoma 5Oregon 4Pennsylvania 16Rhode Island 2South Carolina 4South Dakota 1Tennessee 9Texas 17Utah 1Vermont 1Virginia 7Washington 8West Virginia 1Wisconsin 5Wyoming 4Washington, DC 3   TOTAL 435

#### **“Ten Most Wanted Fugitive” Apprehensions/Locations Outside The United States: **

Canada 11Mexico 27Bahamas 1England 1Japan 1Vietnam 1Spain 1Other 16 SUBTOTAL 59

TOTAL 494

### “TEN MOST WANTED FUGITIVE” STATISTICS TIPS BY VIEWERS 

#### Cases solved as a result of **“America’s Most Wanted”** Television Program:

David James RobertsDates: 4/27/87 - 2/11/88Pedro Luis EstradaDates: 4/15/88 - 10/1/89Jack Darrell FarmerDates: 5/29/88 - 6/1/88Roger Lee JonesDates: 5/29/88 - 3/4/89 

Steven Ray StoutDates: 11/27/88 - 12/6/88 

Stanley FaisonDates: 11/27/88 - 12/24/88

Armando GarciaDates: 1/8/89 - 1/18/94 

Lee Nell CarterDates: 11/19/89 - 11/20/89 

Wardell David FordDates: 12/20/89 - 9/17/90 

Leslie Isben RoggeDates: 1/24/90 - 5/18/96 

Rickey Allen BrightDates: 12/15/95 - 1/7/96 

Tony Ray AmatiDates: 2/21/98 - 2/27/98 

Harry Joseph BowmanDates: 3/14/98 - 6/7/99 

Eric Franklin RosserDates: 12/27/00 - 8/21/01 

Michael Scott BlissDates: 1/31/02 - 4/23/02 

Chaunson Lavel McKibbinsDates: arrested 10/29/04 (before release date of 11/9/04) 

Michael Jason RegisteDates: 7/26/08 – 8/27/08

#### Cases solved as a result of **“Unsolved Mysteries”** Television Program:

  Bobby Gene DennieDates:  2/24/89 - 10/28/89Kenneth Robert StantonDates:  10/24/90 - 10/31/90 

#### Cases solved as a result of **FBI Internet** Site:

Leslie Isben RoggeDates:  1/24/90 - 5/18/96Richard Steve GoldbergDates:  6/14/02 - 5/12/07

Terry A.D. StricklandDates:   12/15/16 - 1/15/17

Octaviano Juarez-CorroDates:    9/8/21 - 2/3/22

#### **Top Ten Family Acts:** 

Samuel J. Veney Dates: 2/25/65 - 3/11/65 Earl VeneyDates: 3/5/65 - 3/11/65Charles E. Ervin Dates: 4/13/67 - 7/25/67 Gordon Dale Ervin Dates: 4/13/67 - 6/7/69Dwight Alan Armstrong Dates: 9/4/70 - 4/1/76 Karleton Lewis Armstrong Dates: 9/4/70 - 2/17/72Charles Earl Hammond Dates: 3/14/85 - 8/4/86 Michael F. A. Hammond Dates: 3/14/85 - 8/4/86

### The FBI's "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" listed chronologically 

Click the links below to see the number, name, date placed on the list, and the date located for the the FBI's complete list of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.

Ten Most Wanted Fugitives Numbers 1 to 100

Ten Most Wanted Fugitives Numbers 101 to 200

Ten Most Wanted Fugitives Numbers 201 to 300

Ten Most Wanted Fugitives Numbers 301 to 400

Ten Most Wanted Fugitives Numbers 401 to 500

Ten Most Wanted Fugitives Numbers 501+

#### **SPECIAL ADDITIONS TO THE “TEN MOST WANTED FUGITIVES” LIST **

                      Name                            Number on list         Added      Apprehended/Removed
                    - Richard Laurence Marquette.............154 ...............6/29/1961 .............6/30/1961    
                    - James Earl Ray .................................277 ...............4/20/1968 .............6/8/1968     
                    - Gary Steven Krist ..............................292 ..............12/20/1968 ...........12/22/1968  
                    - Billie Austin Bryant .............................295 ...............1/8/1969 ..............1/8/1969   
                    - Hubert Geroid Brown .........................308 ...............5/6/1970 ..............10/16/1971  
                    - Dwight Alan Armstrong ......................310 ................9/4/1970 ..............4/1/1976   
                    - Karleton Lewis Armstrong ..................311 ................9/4/1970 ..............2/17/1972  
                    - David Sylvan Fine ..............................312 ................9/4/1970 .............1/8/1976    
                    - Leo Frederick Burt .............................313 ................9/4/1970 .............4/7/1976   
                    - Katherine Ann Power .........................315 ..............10/17/1970 ............6/15/1984   
                    - Susan Edith Saxe ..............................316 ...............10/17/1970 ...........3/27/1975 
                    - Alton Coleman ...................................388 ................7/11/1984 .............7/20/1984
                    - Ramzi Ahmed Yousef ........................436 ................4/21/1993 ..............2/7/1995

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