Lester Eubanks, 77, is believed to be in the Los Angeles area, an official with the U.S. He believes his late mother was raped by Eubanks. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. At various times, authorities suspect he might have lived in Gardena, South Los Angeles, Long Beach and North Hollywood. Eubanks was convicted in May 1966 and sentenced to death. He was a guy who didnt lay his head in any one place for very long.. Fugitive Lester Eubanks is seen here . Lester A. Eubanks Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information Sign In Lester A. Eubanks June 29, 1920 - November 30, 2017 Tribute Wall 6 Obituary & Events Share a memory Plant a tree Share a memory of Lester A. Eubanks Loading. Marshal Pete Elliott announced today.. Lester Eubanks was convicted in 1966 of the murder of 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener from Mansfield, Ohio. On May 25, 1966, a jury found him guilty and sentenced him to death. Siler said investigators know Eubanks has friends and associates in the Los Angeles area. Lester Eubanks, one of America's most notorious fugitives, didn't need a hacksaw or a wooden gun or barter to escape confinement. He passed away peacefully at his home in Newark,NJ. Anthony passed away December 30, 2020 in Ben Wheeler. Deener died after Eubanks shot her twice and then beat her over the head with a brick. Kay, the widow of Lesters cousin and his previous pen-pal, turned out to be crucial in the investigations that followed. Lester Eubanks, 77, is believed 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. In 1973, convicted child murderer Lester Eubanks escaped from prison. Mary Ellen Deener is seen here in this undated photo. The U.S. While the Ohio Department of Corrections immediately listed Eubanks as a fugitive, it would take decades for federal authorities to do the same. The duo teamed up to check out a mattress factory in Gardena, California where an anonymous source said Eubanks worked. Lester was predeceased by his wife, his parents, his sister Ida Brown and brothers James, Harvey and Leo Eubanks. More: U.S. His death sentence was commuted to life in prison in 1972 when the California Supreme Courtruled the death penalty unconstitutional. In October, the marshals service increased the reward from $25,000 to $50,000 for information leading to Eubank's capture. At the time of his disappearance, he weighed approximately 175 pounds. Lester will be remembered for hiscontagious smile, great sense of humor and his giving heart! Lester grew up with ElizabethDudley fell in love and eventually married her. Authorities say they are now closing in on one of the most wanted fugitives in the United States after he escaped from an Ohio prison in 1973. Charlotte Geneva Baldwin passed away Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Marshals' ongoing mission to find Lester Eubanks, a dangerous convict who escaped from police custody in 1973 and has never been found. . For the seven years Lester Eubanks was in jail, he acted like a model prisoner. "Anytime you talk about this case, it is appalling . He never showed up to the designated pickup spot and remains elusive to this day. Lester Eubanks passed away on August 27, 2017 in Griffin, Georgia. According to The Cinemaholic, Deener was walking 5 minutes from one laundromat to another to get quarters but never returned to her sister, who was waiting for her at the first laundromat. A new episode of the @netflix series Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 2 . Inside The Disturbing Legend Of The 'Tsunami Spirits' That Have Haunted Japan Ever Since Its 2011 Disaster, 12-Year-Old Canadian Boy Finds 69-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Fossil While Hiking, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. May God Bless and Keep You! As head of the Detective Bureau of the Mansfield Police Department, he started digging into Eubanks disappearance in the early 1990s. She headed out to get change and never came back. Furthermore, it appears DNA evidence collected from his biological son could yield enormous leaps previously unavailable in catching him. Hes certain Lester Eubanks has likely fathered children by this point and is potentially a grandfather, as well. Eubanks, 22, was sentenced to death, a sentence eventually commuted to. Eubanks is on the U.S. Marshals' list of 15 most wanted fugitives with a $50,000 reward for information that directly leads to his arrest. Marshals offer record reward for fugitive Lester Eubanks, U.S. 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. Lester served in the United States Army and received an honorable discharge after 4 years of service. "To have a child murdered.". The little girl who was killed was real quiet, just a little girl," Messmore said. Eubanks was out on bond for a suspected rape at the time. It just got him outside the gates, and thats all he was working toward.. 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. Newly resurfaced photos may finally lead authorities to capturing him. "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. She says that when it rained, she would sometimes offer a ride to his Gardena apartment building on El Segundo Boulevard right across from a golf course. I have admiration and respect for her, he told reporters. ". That's all conjecture though. Lester Eubanks escaped from an Ohio prison in 1973. Crestview Funeral Home, Memory Gardens & Cremation 1623 Highway 109 N Gallatin, TN 37066 (615) 452-1943 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. Always giggling and - and having fun.". When Lester didnt show up at the assigned place at the given time, the officers searched the area, finding no trace of him anywhere. Most wanted fugitive who escaped in 1973 now sought in Los Angeles area Lester Eubanks was convicted of the 1965 murder of Mary Ellen Deener, 14. Lester will be remembered for his contagious smile, great sense of humor and his giving heart! This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, This case is very unusual, said David Kaye, a Penn State Law professor who studies the use forensic science and genetics in criminal cases. Lester Eubanks is wanted by the Ohio Adult Parole Authority for escape. . According to her obituary, she died on December 29, 2016, in Xenia, Ohio, where she had apparently been living for quite some time. [2][3] His disappearance featured on the Netflix series Unsolved Mysteries. The Cinemaholic reports that after Eubanks was arrested, he confessed to the murder and attempted rape of Mary Ellen Deener, describing his horrific actions against the young girl in great detail. Someone whos like, I know that guy.'. 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. Lester was predeceased by his wife, his parents, his sister Ida Brown and brothers James, Harvey and Leo Eubanks. Eubanks and three other inmates were allowed to leave the prison to go Christmas shopping at a local mall - unsupervised. She was 14. install docker desktop on linux mint . 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. Siler believes that Eubanks is most likely being unwittingly protected by people who dont even know who he is. Marshals hope DNA from Lester Eubanks' biological son will present new leads. While bouncing around to different jobs, the fugitive reportedly worked in a waterbed factory and as a hospital janitor. 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. Following the attack, Eubanks went home to his apartment to dress up for a night on the town, as a new "Unsolved . The U.S. In October, Eubanks was featured on "Death Row Fugitives" on Netflix's "Unsolved Mysteries.". Marshal for Northern Ohio. Hes been avoiding the authorities for forty plus years.. Spending time, especially the holidays and celebrating birthdays with his kids, grands and great grands was the highlight of his life. His disappearance has plagued both authorities and the victims family for decades. Lester would give you the shirt off his back and would do everything to help support his family. ", "It was just unreal," says Carter. Eubanks confessed to the crime the next day. Before that, though, he had been arrested a couple of times for sexual offenses. Marshals offer record reward for fugitive Lester Eubanks, More: U.S. He loved watching and discussing everything sports and politics with his family and friends. Marshal David Siler was only 20 days old when one of . He attended his school years in the Newark School system where he eventually graduated from West Side High School. We believe that he may have never left the Greater Los Angeles area, Murphy said. "We're just hoping for that one, one piece of the puzzle that's going to get us to his front door.". It's quite repulsive; it's unfathomable. Kaye said the federal law that led to the creation of the national DNA database does not prohibit searches using genetic samples from relatives. The podcast follows the U.S. Unsolved Mysteries Volume 2 is now streaming on Netflix, and features one of the series' wildest stories yet.In Episode 3, "Death Row Fugitive," we learn of how convicted murderer Lester Eubanks . Legal Statement. Springer knew Eubanks as Victor Young and says that he worked hard, kept quiet and rode a 10-speed bicycle to work. The publication deemed him the best of the Death Row painters and photographed him next to his Angela Davis tryptic. Detectives, journalists, and family members offer intriguing theories in this gripping series from the creators of the original docuseries. Anyone who knows anything about Eubanks whereabouts today is encouraged to report what they know to the appropriate authorities. Officials also believe he worked as a janitor at St. Francis Hospital in Lynwood in the late 1980s or early 90s, Murphy said. Unfortunately, his execution was pushed back thrice, and in 1972, when the death penalty was abolished, his sentence was . Carter still prays for justice and that her sister's soul can finally be at peace. Im a Christian and I trust God and I allow him to do what hes going to do in my lifeIt doesnt consume me, but it bothers me that hes still missing, that hes still free and took her innocent life. "We continue to fight for her so that someday she will get justice when we're able to put Lester Eubanks in custody.". Marshal Peter Elliott of the Northern District of Ohio. Lester Eubanks grabbed Mary Ellen as she walked . 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. Marshals' list of its 15 most wanted fugitives, and authorities are offering $50,000 for information that directly leads to his arrest. "We believe that he may have never left the Greater Los Angeles area," Deputy U.S. The show aims to understand how anything like it couldve happened. "I remember the mother was real nice. "There's nothing putting him in a place (location)," Fitzgibbon said. Lester Eubanks showed no remorse, and he never even attempt to apologize for his actions to the jury or Mary's family. Using re-enactments and interviews to detail the circumstances surrounding mysteries that are, well, unsolved, it covers everything from crimes, to paranormal activities, to tales of lost people, all the while encouraging views to provide any information that might help solve the case. Eubanks had previously been sentenced with the death penalty, but the sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole in 1972. Another thing she remembers about him: "He wore a lot of cologne and it would give me a migraine," she recalls. Lester Eubanks. But in December 1973, while on a temporary honor furlough to go Christmas shopping, Eubanks walked away from the custody of the Ohio Department of Corrections, according to the U.S. 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.. Marshal and spokeswoman Anne Murphy of Cleveland confirmedMonday. Listen and subscribe to the "Have You Seen This Man? Netflix via Youtube He attended his school years in the Newark School system where he eventually graduated from West Side High School. Marshals seeking info on convicted child killer Lester Eubanks, Lester Eubanks case to be featured on Investigation Discovery, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "I really believe we're going to catch up to this guy," Deputy U.S. "This is one of these cases that you go to bed with, it's one of these cases that you wake up with. All rights reserved. A private service for family will be held Tuesday. For about several years now, no new leads about Lester have come to light, but the U.S. U.S. 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. Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lester_Eubanks&oldid=1140459173, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 04:34. One of the U.S. Marshals 15 most-wanted fugitives, authorities are offering a $50,000 reward for his capture, the agencys highest ever. With no help on the cold case from fellow authorities, Arcudi contacted Americas Most Wanted. ", The U.S. Still, Kaye said, there is room for exceptions. We thought it was over. "I mean they're not in trouble, whatsoever. 45 years after his escape, he was added to the United States Mashals Most Wanted List. She was found with a handful of nickels and dimes next to her. He is described as 5-foot-11-inches with a huge scar on his right arm. 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. Unsolved Mysteries Host Robert Stacks Cause of Death: How Did He Die. His case received renewed attention when it was the subject of a recent. He came back an hour later to finish the job. But even though he kept to himself, the inmates knew of his opinionated and cocky nature, so they stayed away. Murphy said the point of releasing the photographs is the marshals don't know who the people in photographs are, but would love to talk to them in hopes they may have more information on Eubanks. The funeral is Thursday at 11 a.m.in Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church,. Recommend Lester's obituary to your friends. 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. 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. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or submit a tip using U.S. 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.. After the sister alerted their grandmother and the two found the police around Deeners lifeless body. By the time Lester Eubanks murdered Mary Ellen Deener, a 14-year-old Mansfield, Ohio girl, he had already committed a series of sexual offenses. Marshals Service said. Potter, Karen Crews 3 entries. The case was fairly straightforward. But in 1972, his death sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole. You might get a lot of false positives but when you are looking for leads, false positives are common.. Eubanks confessed to the murder the following day after local authorities placed him under arrest. Eubanks was convicted of the 1965 murder and attempted rape of Mary Ellen Deener, 14. "We just need to talk to those people," he told KABC. And thats how he escaped. For Deeners family, that day in December nearly paralleled the night of 1965. And then lo and behold, he goes Christmas shopping, first of all thats a shock and then escapes. The investigators on the case followed that up by questioning everybody who came to see him, from his family to his associates, but none of them gave up any information. pic.twitter.com/BJG0jeEUpz. Lester Eubanks is suspected to be in the Los Angeles area, an official with the U.S. 28. . Mary Ellen encountered Eubanks in 1965 when she ran out of change while doing laundry for the family at a local laundromat in Mansfield, Ohio. (U.S. The promising Gardena lead ended with news that their suspect had quit his job and vanished. LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Could the confessed killer of a little girl in Ohio be living in plain sight in Southern California? Mitchell, Nancy Elizabeth Wood 7 entries. Capt. In arguably the first time Lester Eubanks would escape justice, his sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole when a U.S. Supreme Courts ruling in 1972 found the death penalty unconstitutional. Lester Eubanks has been at large since escaping during a Christmas shopping trip while on furlough from the Ohio Department of Corrections nearly half a century ago. Messmore said his parents operated TheFairmont Dairy Store and he and his parentsknew Deener's mother and the family who were in the store frequently and lived nearby. Authorities believe they know that highly sought-after fugitive Lester Eubanks is somewhere in or around Los Angeles. Dr. Eubanks was born Audrey Fay Cochran to Aubrey A. and Virginia H. Cochran of the Crossroads Community on August 5, 1946. She was 14 years old when she was killed. Authorities say Lester Eubanks worked and lived in Los Angeles under the alias 'Victor Young' U.S. (U.S. He said in October that the marshals service had no information on Eubanks' whereabouts, and no tip from the public is too small. Jerry Devinney officiating. Messmore said he was responsible for getting the warrant for Eubank's arrest reinstalled. Sommers, Carol Louise Orr 2 entries. In 1973, convicted child murderer Lester Eubanks escaped from prison. Out of change, Deener walked to another Laundromat for nickels and dimes. On trial in 1966, Eubanks confessed to the murder yet again, not showing remorse, and he was convicted and given the death penalty for his crimes. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. 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