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. 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 . After his military years Lester worked at General ServiceAdministration (GSA) where he retired. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. He was initially sentenced to death,. 2017-2023 Tribute Archive. 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.. Legal Statement. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. Currently, they have Lester Eubanks on their 15 Most Wanted list and are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for any information about his whereabouts. But for the last 49 years, his whereabouts have been a mystery. It's just so disgusting, so unjust," says Siler. Another thing she remembers about him: "He wore a lot of cologne and it would give me a migraine," she recalls. Contact USA.gov, usmarshals.gov is an official site of the U.S. Federal Government, U.S. Department of Justice. Richland County Sheriffs DepartmentLester Eubanks had a criminal history of sexual offenses prior to Mary Deeners murder. He was sentenced to the death penalty, but in 1972 his sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole. The Marshals have been trying to gain approvals to compare his biological sons DNA against samples of DNA collected from unsolved crime scene evidence around the country in hopes that it will yield a match and offer hints to Eubanks new identity or recent location. He was born January 26, 1999 in Athens. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. That bothers me.. She graduated from Lucedale High School in 1964. Jerry Devinney officiating. Bayliss, Cherry R. 11 entries. In October, the marshals service increased the reward from $25,000 to $50,000 for information leading to Eubank's capture. But even though he kept to himself, the inmates knew of his opinionated and cocky nature, so they stayed away. 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. Former death row inmate Lester Eubanks, convicted of the grisly murder of a teenage girl, escaped prison custody in 1973. Mary Ellen Deener is seen here in this undated photo. "We're just hoping for that one, one piece of the puzzle that's going to get us to his front door.". Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Eubanks confessed to the murder the following day after local authorities placed him under arrest. 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. On that day, Mary Ellen Deener and her younger sister, 12-year-old Brenda Sue, were doing laundry. 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. May God Bless and Keep You! 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. The manhunt for Eubanks spans five decades and he remains one of the most wanted men in America, with the U.S. Anyone who has information on Eubanks is asked to call the U.S. Lester Eubanks, 77, is believed to be in the Los Angeles area, an official with the U.S. This report is part of the ABC News podcast, "Have You Seen This Man?," hosted by 'The View's' Sunny Hostin. Furthermore, it appears DNA evidence collected from his biological son could yield enormous leaps previously unavailable in catching him. It had been 20 years and it was like nobody was working the case that we were aware of, said Arcudi. He holds dual bachelor's degrees from Pace University and a master's degree from New York University. Spending time, especially the holidays and celebrating birthdays with his kids, grands and great grands was the highlight of his life. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, All they knew was that it had to be pre-planned. Reports suggest Eubanks fled to Michigan, and also spent time in Los Angeles. After reviewing recently obtained photographs that allegedly show Eubanks working and socializing with people in Los Angeles County including a former waterbed factory in Gardena the Marshals Service began focusing their investigation there,U.S. 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 . Netflix via Youtube Hes certain Lester Eubanks has likely fathered children by this point and is potentially a grandfather, as well. "I remember the mother was real nice. (U.S. Deputy U.S. 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. Lester would give you the shirt off his back and would do everything to help support hisfamily. Darrell Banks (born Darrell Eubanks; July 25, 1937 - February 24, 1970) was an American soul singer. The USMS established the 15 Most Wanted Fugitive Program in 1983 to prioritize investigation & apprehension of some of the countrys most dangerous fugitives. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. On May 25, 1966, a jury found him guilty and sentenced him to death. In the Eubanks case, the man who provided DNA has asked ABC News not to identify him. Eubanks fled to Los Angeles and worked under the name "Victor Young" after escaping from prison, living off and on with a woman named Kay Eubanks between 1975 and 1996, investigators say, according to KABC. Real Name: Lester Edward Eubanks Aliases: Victor Young, Pete Eubanks, Lester William Eubanks Wanted For: Murder, Escape Missing Since: December 7, 1973 Case Details: Lester Eubanks is wanted for escape; he had been serving a life sentence for the murder of fourteen-year-old Mary Ellen Deener of Mansfield, Ohio. We just need to talk to those people.. 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. Deener died after Eubanks shot her twice and then beat her over the head with a brick. Victor Young, Pete Eubanks, Lester William Eubanks, Ten Steps to Doing Business with the USMS, U.S. Eubanks has been on the loose since 1973, when he escaped while on a shopping . After being escorted to the Great Southern Shopping Center on Dec. 7, 1973, the man who murdered Mary Ellen Deener vanished. [4], As of 2022, Eubanks was still listed on the United States Marshals Service's 15 Most Wanted Fugitives list. 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 . LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - One of the most wanted fugitives in the United States is being sought in the Los Angeles area after escaping from an Ohio prison in 1973, authorities confirmed Saturday.. Potter, Karen Crews 3 entries. "Unsolved Mysteries" season 2 releases on October 19; one of the episodes features the murder of Mary Ellen Deener. 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. But the escape was not over prison walls. Marshal and spokeswoman Anne Murphy of Cleveland confirmedMonday. 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. 3 min read. He loved watching and discussing everything sports and politics with his family and friends. Mary Ellen Deeners Cause Of Death: How Lester Eubanks Killed Her, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. Hundreds of new clues poured in after the ABC News Investigative Unit went inside the manhunt with the U.S. "We would take the whole crew to lunch at Shakey's Pizza," says Springer. "They hadn't even putout a locator or warrant for him and I got that reinstalled in the computer system for all of the United States," he said. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. He told ABC News he wants to see the Marshals find Eubanks and bring him to justice. Kay was worried that shed be charged for harboring a fugitive, so she revealed everything that she knew, starting from the very beginning. Newly unearthed photos may hold clues in long-running manhunt for 1965 killer. 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. Investigators say Lester Eubanks was an avid martial arts enthusiast who loved music and art. HandoutMary Ellen Deener was shot and bludgeoned to death when she was 14 by Lester Eubanks. One person still hoping for a breakthrough is Myrtle Carter, the surviving older sister of Eubanks' victim, Mary Ellen Deener. She was born June 25, 1944, to Wilford O. Bashaw and Florence W. Wilson, in Grafton, Vt. She married Bud L . In 1912, in the year that Lester Eubanks was born, Arizona was admitted to the United States in February (on Valentine's Day). 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. Marshals are soliciting the aid of the public to identify people pictured in newly uncovered. 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. Unsolved Mysteries season 2 releases on October 19; one of the episodes, Death Row Fugitive, features the murder of Mary Ellen Deener at the hands of Lester Eubanks in 1965. Eubanks bounced around, living at times in Gardena, South Central, Long Beach and North Hollywood. Kay, the widow of Lesters cousin and his previous pen-pal, turned out to be crucial in the investigations that followed. The publication deemed him the best of the Death Row painters and photographed him next to his Angela Davis tryptic. And because he confessed to the murder, more than once, he is also somebody who can be categorized as narcissistic. Obituary for Dalton "Jerry" O. Eubanks Aiken, SC- Memorial Services for Dalton "Jerry" O. Eubanks, 88, who entered into rest January 18, 2023, will be conducted Friday, January 27, at 11 o'clock from the Posey Funeral Chapel, Rev. But every state contributes its DNA repository to the national database, and some states have restrictions against those types of familial searches. The Netflix series second season aims to probe every detail of the case which has only gained more steam the longer Lester Eubanks has been on the run. Bob Harrell, who . It took decades for the U.S. 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. 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. Lester would give you the shirt off his back and would do everything to help support his family. "That's when the story took a real crazy turn," says Carter. He's been on the . 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. Marshals offer record reward for fugitive Lester Eubanks, More: U.S. Siler believes that Eubanks is most likely being unwittingly protected by people who dont even know who he is. Prosecutors alleged he raped and beat her then shot her twice. The U.S. Marshal Peter Elliott of the Northern District of Ohio. We know that he has a footprint there, we know that he has associates throughout the area. Chloe Atkins reports for the NBC News Investigative Unit, based in New York. They have no idea. Eubanks, who is in his mid-70s, was described as a 5-foot-11-inch male with black hair and brown eyes. "She was always giggling," recalls Carter. 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