David Roberts

David James Roberts was the first fugitive ever profiled on America's Most Wanted. Roberts was wanted for escaping custody while serving time for multiple murders, he was the first ever capture.
== Early Life ==
Roberts was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey on January 1944. He has been in jail and out ever since adulthood.
== Cases==
=== 1966 Rape ===
During 1966, police say Roberts robbed and raped two victims in Gary and Crown Point, Indiana. After he was caught, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison, he was released after serving half his sentence on December 12, 1972.
===Patrick Family Murder===
Roberts' streak of crime, however, didn't stop there. On January of early 1974, Roberts bought new tires for his car and drove off without paying. The manager of the store, Bill Patrick wrote a complaint, a few hours later, an angry Roberts set fire on Patrick's house using gasoline cans, killing Patrick, his wife, and their daughter Heidi. Now having more charges including murder, Roberts was set on a bail of $10,000, where he was later released, this turned out to be a bad decision for many people.
===1974 Murder===
Not even one month after he was released, Roberts committed another murder. On March 1974, Roberts kidnapped and raped a 19-year old Indianapolis woman, even leaving her son to die in the cold. Roberts was captured once again, this time with no bail, he didn't want to spend time in prison though.
===Escape===
During October of 1986, Roberts complained he had problems with breathing. After returning from the hospital, he pulled out a gun, and forced the two officers keeping company on him to handcuff each other. He then used this opportunity to go on the run. 
Roberts was then charged with unlawful flight to avoid confinement, the FBI placed him on their Top 10 Most Wanted list, but no trace of him was found.
== Capture ==
One week after the broadcast, many callers claimed that Roberts had been living in New York under the aliases "Bob Lord", he had been working as a director of a homeless shelter. Roberts was then arrested and brought back to face justice, he was the first capture ever on AMW. He was originally sentenced to death, but later reduced to life in prison. He remains alive, though not in the best condition.
== References ==
* David Roberts on Murderpedia
* David Roberts on The FBI's website
* How This Staten Island Man Became America’s Most Wanted’s First Capture
* John Walsh's First Capture
* 17 Fugitives Caught With Help Of "America's Most Wanted"
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Category:Captured
Category:Indiana
Category:1986
Category:Murder
Category:Arson
Category:Rape
Category:Abduction
Category:Robbery
Category:Escape