After nearly 50 years on the lam, authorities believe they are closing in on convicted murderer and prison escapee Lester Eubanks, who was recently featured . U.S. MarshalsIt took decades for the U.S. Washington, DC - The reward for information leading to the arrest of wanted fugitive Lester Eubanks has been increased to $50,000, U.S. ", "Any information that can get us to that front door, get him in custody," says Siler. According to The Cinemaholic, Deener was walking 5 minutes from one . Dr. Eubanks was born Audrey Fay Cochran to Aubrey A. and Virginia H. Cochran of the Crossroads Community on August 5, 1946. Lester Eubanks hasnt seen its grounds in nearly 50 years. May God Bless and Keep You! "To have a child murdered.". Marshals said they believed he was still living in the Los Angeles area, having received photographs of him with friends there.[6]. The ongoing manhunt for Eubanks is the focus of the ABC News podcast, Have You Seen This Man?. "Unsolved Mysteries" volume 2 is released on October 19 on Netflix. Marshal David Siler, a member of a cold case squad seeking Eubanks, said, according to KABC-TV. Marshals have unearthed photos of people believed to have worked and socialized with long-missing fugitive murderer Lester Eubanks in the 1970s, and they're. He told ABC News he wants to see the Marshals find Eubanks and bring him to justice. Still, Kaye said, there is room for exceptions. One person still hoping for a breakthrough is Myrtle Carter, the surviving older sister of Eubanks' victim, Mary Ellen Deener. He came back an hour later to finish the job. They are also trying to gain his biological sons DNA in an attempt to compare it against samples collected from unsolved crime scenes across America in the hopes that it will yield a match and offer hints about Lesters new identity or location. Siler believes that Eubanks is most likely being unwittingly protected by people who dont even know who he is. He attended his school years in the Newark School system where he eventually graduated from West Side High School. Instead, he vanished and hasnt been seen in nearly half a century. And the next year, he escaped. "I mean they're not in trouble, whatsoever. Although Eubanks was sentenced to death, in 1972 his sentence was commuted to life in prison. Legal Statement. Local News Sports Politics Opinion For Subscribers NKY Obituaries . "I mean it just boggles the mind," says retired Capt. Incarcerated for life without parole in 1966, Eubanks had been a model inmate for about seven years, so Ohio State Penitentiary granted him a furlough to go Christmas shopping at a local mall that December. Whether the DNA sample would produce solid new leads is impossible to predict. In the years that followed Lester Eubanks conviction, his execution was pushed back thrice for reasons unknown. . 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Lester Eubanks was convicted of the 1965 murder of Mary Ellen Deener, 14. Volume 2 of Netflix's revival of the show features an episode called "Death Row Fugitive," which focuses on the escape of convicted child killer, Lester Eubanks, in Ohio in 1973. Lester Eubanks escaped from an Ohio prison in 1973. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. All rights reserved. HandoutMary Ellen Deener was shot and bludgeoned to death when she was 14 by Lester Eubanks. "on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Spotify, Stitcher and TuneIn. Marshals offer record reward for fugitive Lester Eubanks, More: U.S. In October, Eubanks was featured on "Death Row Fugitives" on Netflix's "Unsolved Mysteries.". This is why we are asking citizens to be vigilant and contact us with any information they believe will help us apprehend him.". But in 1972, his death sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole. Eubanks would be in his 70s now and is described as 5-foot-11-inches and was around 175 pounds at the time of his arrest. READ NEXT: Unsolved Mysteries Host Robert Stacks Cause of Death: How Did He Die? Lester grew up with ElizabethDudley fell in love and eventually married her. When she was found, Deeners family was naturally consumed with unbearable pain. Then, in the early 1990s, the investigation began to pick up when a young officer directed the public eye to the case. Audrey Cochran Eubanks, Ph.D., a longtime resident of the Rocky Creek Community near Lucedale, Mississippi, passed away on Monday, February 27, 2023 after a short illness. "He picked up a brick and bashed her skull in. "You had a heartbeat, we'd hire you and put you to work," she said. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.Sources. Meet Lester Eubanks, The Child Murderer Who Escaped From Prison In 1973 And Remains Uncaught. He turned in his ankle monitor, made a final stop at . By the time 2 p.m. rolled around, though, Lester was long gone. Marshal David Siler was only 20 days old when one of . A spokesman instead provided a copy of the current FBI policy, which states: Familial searching is not currently conducted at the national level or performed by the National DNA Index System., Natalie Ram, a University of Maryland law professor who is a leading expert on the laws surrounding DNA data and privacy, said Familial searches are a touchy subject.. "She was always giggling," recalls Carter. Lester would give you the shirt off his back and would do everything to help support hisfamily. Fox News Flash top headlines for March 27. Lester Eubanks showed no remorse, and he never even attempt to apologize for his actions to the jury or Mary's family. NOTICE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT: Before arrest, verify warrant through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Marshals Service Tips. "We continue to fight for [Deener] so that someday she will get justice when we're able to put Lester Eubanks in custody.". Fugitive Lester Eubanks is seen here in this U.S. After all, in the summer of 2003, they did try to question his father, Mose, who refused to talk about Lester but said that sometimes people could change and move on with their lives. As the 50th anniversary of Lester Eubanks escape approaches, investigators are more determined than ever. They have no idea. The .gov means its official. Some legal experts believe this case could open the door for the FBI to make a rare exception to the policy that prohibits searches using familial DNA. "We know that he has a footprint there, we know that he has associates throughout the area, we just need to talk to those people," says Siler. Eubanks had. Siler's focus is on finding justice for Mary Ellen's family and putting Eubanks back behind bars. With no help on the cold case from fellow authorities, Arcudi contacted Americas Most Wanted. Then, read about the six chilling cases involving serial murderers who have never been caught. Hes very cunning; hes not a dumb guy. "We believe that he may have never left the Greater Los Angeles area," says Deputy U.S. Marshal David Siler said that officials also believe Eubanks worked as a janitor at St. Francis Hospital in Lynwood in the late 1980s or early '90s, according to NBC Los Angeles. She told the detectives that Lester did live with her up until a few years ago, but because he was a bully, she scared him off by implying that people were looking for him in the city. Contact USA.gov, usmarshals.gov is an official site of the U.S. Federal Government, U.S. Department of Justice. The publication deemed him the best of the Death Row painters and photographed him next to his Angela Davis tryptic. He was driven to a city just outside Detroit and has been on the run now for 46 years. Though the media stunt helped raise awareness, and U.S. Marshals officially listed Eubanks on their 15 Most Wanted List, it was obvious that Lester Eubanks had heard of these developments, too. He was initially sentenced to death,. Who Where Receive obituaries Elisabeth D Christal February 22, 2023 (87 years old) View obituary Johnny West February 21, 2023 (88 years old) ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lester_Eubanks&oldid=1140459173, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 04:34. 28. . For Siler, tragedy and pain mark the Lester Eubanks case from all angles. The people in the photos may have worked with or socialized with fugitive murderer Lester Eubanks, according to ABC News. If alive, Eubanks . Fugitive Lester Eubanks is seen here . An official website of the United States government. Eubanks confessed to the crime the next day. "We continue to fight for her so that someday she will get justice when we're able to put Lester Eubanks in custody.". Victor Young, Pete Eubanks, Lester William Eubanks, Ten Steps to Doing Business with the USMS, U.S. Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website. "We would take the whole crew to lunch at Shakey's Pizza," says Springer. Marshals are not deterred by the passage of time when it comes to cases like this one, said U.S. On December 7, 1973, Lester, with his good behavior and many prison awards for painting, was allowed to go Christmas shopping with three other inmates. Eubanks is a convicted murderer, who confessed to and was found guilty of the November 1965 murder and attempted rape of a 14-year-old girl named Mary Ellen Deener. Spending time, especially the holidays and celebrating birthdays with his kids, grands and great grands was the highlight of his life. Henry T. Greely, director of the Center for Law and the Biosciences at Stanford University Law School, said the challenge is getting the sample into the FBI database for review, when the FBI policy prohibits searches using a relatives DNA. That meant Eubanks couldve been caught speeding or engaged in any other minor infraction and the officer who took his prints or ran his license wouldnt have known he was a wanted fugitive. Marshals Service said on Saturday. The U.S. Marshals/ ABC News U.S. Charlotte Geneva Baldwin passed away Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. Reports suggest Eubanks fled to Michigan, and also spent time in Los Angeles. He was just out there on his own and nobody seemed concerned about it.. Marshals Service hopes that newly unearthed photos of people who worked and socialized with Lester Eubanks in the mid-1970s will lead to a clue that cracks the case. "My mom called me crying that the sheriff had called her and told her that he'd escaped.". Newly unearthed photos may hold clues in the hunt for a child killer who's been on the run for nearly half a century, and who could be living in Southern California. Marshals Service). He's been on the . "I remember the mother was real nice. Host, Elizabeth Vargas, and investigator, Paul Holes create a 3D avatar of Lester EubanksSubscribe now for more America's Most Wanted clips: http://fox.tv/S. Crestview Funeral Home, Memory Gardens & Cremation 1623 Highway 109 N Gallatin, TN 37066 (615) 452-1943 Theyre just not giving him up.. Marshal David Siler told Rolling Stone, Its one of those cases that you cant put down. Not wanting to let it pass by, though, the captain managed to get Lesters face on Americas Most Wanted, which resulted in a tip coming in from a Los Angeles woman. Anthony passed away December 30, 2020 in Ben Wheeler. Then, realizing that it was somewhat safe, he got somebody to pay for his bus ticket to California. Marshal Pete Elliott announced today.. Lester Eubanks was convicted in 1966 of the murder of 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener from Mansfield, Ohio. US Marshals. Authorities follow the trail to L.A. in pursuit of a killer who escaped in 1973. Investigators believe the fugitive lived off and on with a woman named Kay Eubanks between about 1975 and 1996. Marshals Service added Lester Eubanks to its Most Wanted list. The girl had only tried to help her family out with chores and ended up dead in the streets with change still in her hand. But Greely said a search could be worthwhile. From their union of 43 years five children were born: Michael, Sheila, James, Vincent and Catherine. Manipulating those guards, manipulating the system, being that good guy that he portrayed himself to be. More: U.S. Unfortunately, no. All rights reserved. Tragically, she found Eubanks, instead. Sharman, Robert Edward 5 entries. They want the child killer captured, and they wont stop until they succeed. After his military years Lester worked at General ServiceAdministration (GSA) where he retired. "One person that we have a name as a possible girlfriend, her name is Renee and she went by 'Sherm,'" says Siler. Lester Eubanks, who has been on the run for 47 years, was convicted of killing 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener in 1966. Hes easily recognizable as he has a huge scar on his right arm. In 1973, convicted child murderer Lester Eubanks escaped from prison. We are fueled by one thing, and that is justice for 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener of Mansfield, Ohio, the innocent victim in this case.. Authorities say Lester Eubanks worked and lived in Los Angeles under the alias 'Victor Young' U.S. "One of my business partners, she took pictures of everybody, everything," Springer says. Deener died after Eubanks shot her twice and then beat her over the head with a brick. Lester Eubanks is suspected to be in the Los Angeles area, an official with the U.S. According to the professionals, Lester Edward Eubanks can be anywhere in America right now from Texas, Washington, Florida to Alabama. The woman who ran the factory, Joy Springer, recalls that Eubanks was hired "right in the beginning of the waterbed era and we were going big guns.". Eubanks was out on bond for a suspected rape at the time. or redistributed. Because each states rules are different, the FBI prohibition is intended to take the approach least likely to run afoul of state laws. Investigators say Lester Eubanks was an avid martial arts enthusiast who loved music and art. Among those clues are photos that Siler recovered showing employees at a former waterbed factory in Gardena, where Eubanks worked during his early years on the run. Eubanks was living and working in Los Angeles under the name "Victor Young" after his 1973 escape from the Ohio State Penitentiary, where he was serving a life sentence for the brutal murder of. Submit a tip. Eubanks and three other inmates were allowed to leave the prison to go Christmas shopping at a local mall - unsupervised. Lester A. Eubanks Newark resident Lester A. Eubanks, 97, departed this life on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017, at home. Eubanks, who lived in the neighborhood, reportedly heard noises and returned to the scene. Lester Eubanks, 77, is believed to be in the Los Angeles area, an official with the U.S. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. ", "It was just unreal," says Carter. Oct. 23, 2020 Courtesy of Netflix Among the cases featured in Unsolved Mysteries Volume 2 is that of Lester Eubanks, a convicted murderer who escaped from prison in 1973. But for the last 49 years, his whereabouts have been a mystery. Marshals Service) But every state contributes its DNA repository to the national database, and some states have restrictions against those types of familial searches. Marshal David Siler, who leads a cold case squad focused squarely on capturing the convicted killer. . Anthony grew up in Canton and graduated Canton High School in 2018 . pic.twitter.com/BJG0jeEUpz. IE 11 is not supported. The federal government has a policy in place that they do not permit familial searches, she said. She was 14. Market data provided by Factset. The little girl who was killed was real quiet, just a little girl," Messmore said. Lester Eubanks escaped from an Ohio prison in 1973. Capt. Sommers, Carol Louise Orr 2 entries. Lester Eubanks attempted to rape and then brutally beat 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener in Mansfield, Ohio in 1965 after she ventured out on her own to get change for laundry. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or submit a tip using U.S. "We're just hoping for that one, one piece of the puzzle that's going to get us to his front door.". ". Obituary Lester A. Eubanks was born on June 29, 1920 to the late Hartwell and Leora Eubanks in Irvington, NJ. Kaye said the federal law that led to the creation of the national DNA database does not prohibit searches using genetic samples from relatives. These officers were only looking to see if illegal substances were being trafficked, and so, Lester became a fugitive, showing up at Kays door with a bag in hand. MASSACHUSETTS WIDOW'S KILLING SOLVED 36 YEARS LATER, ALLEGED KILLER CONFESSED BEFORE HE DIED, Lester Eubanks escaped from an Ohio prison in 1973. The U.S. Out of change, Deener walked to another Laundromat for nickels and dimes. The manhunt for Eubanks spans five decades and he remains one of the most wanted men in America, with the U.S. It's just so disgusting, so unjust," Siler said, KABC reported. We know that he has a footprint there, we know that he has associates throughout the area, we just need to talk to those people.. Prosecutors alleged he raped and beat her then shot her twice. Crazy!". U.S. He escaped from the state Department of Corrections on Dec. 7,1973, while on an honor furlough to go Christmas shopping unescorted with other inmates as a reward for good behavior. Dr. Eugene Gangarosa, trailblazing infectious disease expert, dies. Lester Eubanks Lester Eubanks (1912 - 1966) Jump to: Bio graphy Family Photos Comments Obit uary. Market data provided by Factset. Darrell Banks (born Darrell Eubanks; July 25, 1937 - February 24, 1970) was an American soul singer. Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/curiosity - Enter promo code curiosity for 83% off and 3 extra months free! A new episode of the @netflix series Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 2 . His disappearance has plagued both authorities and the victims family for decades. He had to start this process two or three years prior, said Siler. Marshal David Siler told the News Journal in 2017. You might get a lot of false positives but when you are looking for leads, false positives are common.. David Messmore said he was contacted by "America's Most Wanted" TV producers recently since he worked on the cold case at the police department. The podcast follows the U.S. He believes his late mother was raped by Eubanks. "We'll be more than happy to provide them with that $50,000 reward.". Marshals to place Lester Eubanks on their 15 Most Wanted list. His case was the subject of an episode of Netflix's "Unsolved Mysteries. Eubanks, who now is in his mid-70s, was described as a 5-foot-11-inch male with black hair and brown eyes. On Friday, the 45th anniversary of the 1973 escape, the U.S. Eubanks confessed to the murder the following day after local authorities placed him under arrest. Marshals to place Lester Eubanks on their 15 Most Wanted list. He tried to rape somebody (else).". He confessed to smashing her head in with a brick, killing her. Lester Eubanks was imprisoned in the first place for trying to rape a 14-year-old girl before shooting her to death and then bludgeoning her into a pulp with a brick. Eubanks June 29, 1920 - November 30, 2017 Obituary. At one point, he sat on death row at the Ohio State Penitentiary and remains one of the U.S. Marshals most wanted fugitives to this day. January 20, 2019. MANSFIELD - Convicted child killer Lester Eubanks of Mansfield is being sought in the Los Angeles area after being convicted of killing a 14-year-old Mansfield girl in 1965 and walking away from a prison shopping trip with other honor inmates on Dec. 7, 1973, having been a fugitive ever since. After being escorted to the Great Southern Shopping Center on Dec. 7, 1973, the man who murdered Mary Ellen Deener vanished. ET After convicted murderer Lester Eubanks escaped from prison during the winter of 1973, his case wasn't brought to the public's attention very much again until a 1994 episode of America's Most Wanted . Lester will be remembered for his contagious smile, great sense of humor and his giving heart! In Netflix's volume 2 description for Unsolved Mysteries, they say, Perhaps viewers hold vital clues that will help solve these mysteries. Lester Eubanks was convicted of the 1965 rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl in Mansfield. In December 1973, Eubanks walked away from the custody of the Ohio Department of Corrections while on a temporary honor furlough to go Christmas shopping. Lester Eubanks, one of America's most notorious fugitives, didn't need a hacksaw or a wooden gun or barter to escape confinement. Last edited on 20 February 2023, at 04:34, "Police close in on escaped child killer who's been on the run for almost 50 years", "The murderer who vanished: How one man walked away from a life sentence", "Prison Fugitive Featured on Netflix's 'Unsolved Mysteries' Sought in LA Area", "Has Netflix's "Unsolved Mysteries" helped to solve any cases? By Brenna Ehrlich. At the time of his escape, Eubanks was serving a life sentence for the November 1965 murder and attempted rape of 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener. Bayliss, Cherry R. 11 entries. Acknowledgement: The family of the late Lester A. Eubanks wishes to acknowledge with deep appreciation the many expressions of love, concern andkindness shown to their family during this hour or bereavement. "I really believe we're going to catch up to this guy," Deputy U.S. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. According to the Rolling Stone, while Eubanks was allowed to go Christmas shopping on good behavior at a local mall in Columbus Ohio, he evaded the guards as their designated meeting time and escaped. It was the last time the 14-year-old was seen alive. To use as powerful a word as I can think of, we were traumatized, said sister Myrtle Carter who was 18 at the time of the murder. Eubanks confessed to shooting her twice in the head. Deputy U.S. Someone whos like, I know that guy.'. Marshal Brian Fitzgibbon said after the Netflix showing that the marshals service received a lot of tips from people filling in the holes. Mitchell, Nancy Elizabeth Wood 7 entries. A private service for family will be held Tuesday. One of the U.S. Marshals 15 most-wanted fugitives, authorities are offering a $50,000 reward for his capture, the agencys highest ever. And over time, he earned "honor status" as an inmate and the trust of prison guards. Bob Harrell, who . When Lester didnt show up at the assigned place at the given time, the officers searched the area, finding no trace of him anywhere. Manfield News Journal