Marshals Service] By: Michelle Sigona Lester leaves to mourn and carry on his legacy of support and love of family onto his sons Michael, James & Vincent Eubanks; daughters Sheila Pugh and Catherine Eubanks; his daughter in law Norma JeanBrown of Toms River; 11 grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; sisters Leora & Helen Eubanks, Madelyn Hicks and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins andfriends. Eubanks, who now is in his mid-70s, was described as a 5-foot-11-inch male with black hair and brown eyes. Eubanks conned his way into Christmas shopping and all but letting the justice system let him go free, through their apparent confidence that giving him a perfect chance to escape was a good idea. 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 . He passed away peacefully at his home in Newark,NJ. Lester Edward Eubanks was just 22-years-old when he killed the 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener in Mansfield, Ohio, and was subsequently caught. Lester Eubanks May Soon Be Caught After Nearly 50 Years on the Run By Chrissy Bobic Mar. Always giggling and - and having fun.". 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. She was found with a handful of nickels and dimes next to her. For Siler, tragedy and pain mark the Lester Eubanks case from all angles. 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. She was 14. 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. 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. After the sister alerted their grandmother and the two found the police around Deeners lifeless body. S. While he has been. On November 30, 2017, Lester A. Eubanks entered into his ultimate resting place at the age 97. "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. MANSFIELD, Ohio - U.S. marshals believe they are getting closer to locating convicted child killer Lester Eubanks, on the run for 47 years in the 1965 death of 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener of . Authorities follow the trail to L.A. in pursuit of a killer who escaped in 1973. 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. 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. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. He dragged her behind a house in the 300 block of North Mulberry Street, raped her, shot her twice and left her for dead. So when we come knocking on the door and apprehend that person, their families become victims. And over time, he earned "honor status" as an inmate and the trust of prison guards. Messmore said the wholething about Eubanks being allowed to shop in downtown Columbus, from where he escaped,is unbelievable. According to her obituary, she died on December 29, 2016, in Xenia, Ohio, where she had apparently been living for quite some time. He thoroughly enjoyed bowling and spent many years on a bowling league. He finished the teen off by smashing her in the head with a brick. Other unique physical. 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. It just got him outside the gates, and thats all he was working toward.. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "You know, a little girl. It is suspected that he is still alive today. "We're just hoping for that one, one piece of the puzzle that's going to get us to his front door," Siler tells Eyewitness News. Inside the mind of a killer: What investigators have learned about Lester Eubanks. On that day, Mary Ellen Deener and her younger sister, 12-year-old Brenda Sue, were doing laundry. They have no idea. 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. Wikimedia CommonsOhio State Penitentiary around 1897. He loved watching and discussing everything sports and politics with his family and friends. 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. Submit a tip. She frequently covers crime and courts, as well as the intersection of reproductive health, politics, and policy. Days after the show's. Dr. Eubanks was born Audrey Fay Cochran to Aubrey A. and Virginia H. Cochran of the Crossroads Community on August 5, 1946. Lester Eubanks, 77, is believed to be in the Los Angeles area, an official with the U.S. Recent Condolences for. He passed away peacefully at his home in Newark,NJ. It was only 20 years after Lester escaped, in December of 1993, that a lead was finally attained. 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. According to the professionals, Lester Edward Eubanks can be anywhere in America right now from Texas, Washington, Florida to Alabama. Darrell Banks (born Darrell Eubanks; July 25, 1937 - February 24, 1970) was an American soul singer. Mary Ellen Deener went searching for change for the laundromat on Nov. 14, 1965. Check out what's clicking on FoxNews.com. His case was the subject of an episode of. "There's nothing putting him in a place (location)," Fitzgibbon said. He said he pulled her behind a house and forced down her underwear, and shot her twice in the stomach after she tried to fight him off. Marshal David Siler told the News Journal in 2017. We believe that he may have never left the Greater Los Angeles area, Siler said. "We'll be more than happy to provide them with that $50,000 reward.". The 1994 TV episode certainly helped, as hundreds of calls come in with promising leads pointing to Northern California. Lester Eubanks was convicted of killing 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deene in 1965. And thats how he escaped. A visitation for Anthony Scott Lester, 21, of Canton, will be held 6 - 8 pm Monday, January 4, 2021, at Eubank Funeral Home in Canton. 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. "He realized she was still breathing, still alive," says Siler. She said the goal is to avoid seeing innocent people coerced into providing DNA that could be held and used over time in future investigations. 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. In today's era, it would just never happen." Lester Eubanks (born October 31, 1943)[1] is an American criminal and fugitive who escaped prison in Ohio in 1973 after being jailed for the murder of 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener. Marshals Service) Eubanks was convicted of murdering Mary Ellen Deener, 14, in 1966. He had a hit with 1966's "Open the Door to Your Heart". Unfortunately, no. 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. Marshals Service added Lester Eubanks to its Most Wanted list. Unfortunately, though, thats the last information that anyone has on him. Eubanks, then 22, had been convicted of murdering 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener in 1966. "This is one of these cases that you go to bed with, it's one of these cases that you wake up with. . MASSACHUSETTS WIDOW'S KILLING SOLVED 36 YEARS LATER, ALLEGED KILLER CONFESSED BEFORE HE DIED, Lester Eubanks escaped from an Ohio prison in 1973. Obituary Lester A. Eubanks was born on June 29, 1920 to the late Hartwell and Leora Eubanks in Irvington, NJ. Eubanks was convicted in May 1966 and sentenced to death. The show aims to understand how anything like it couldve happened. Marshals to place Lester Eubanks on their 15 Most Wanted list. Victor Young, Pete Eubanks, Lester William Eubanks, Ten Steps to Doing Business with the USMS, U.S. For decades, investigators suspect he has been "hiding in plain sight," using a series of false identities for years to remain undetected, ABC News reported. U.S. Market data provided by Factset. She said that he assumed the name of Victor Young and got a hunting license, which didnt require fingerprints, as his ID proof. Marshals Service said on Saturday. In fact, standing at near 6 feet tall and weighing around 180 pounds, at the time of the murder, this sexual predator was out on a hefty bond in connection to an unrelated attempted rape charge. His disappearance has plagued both authorities and the victims family for decades. Lester will be remembered for his contagious smile, great sense of humor and his giving heart! Marshals' ongoing mission to find Lester Eubanks, a dangerous convict who escaped from police custody in 1973 and has never been found. In the years that followed Lester Eubanks conviction, his execution was pushed back thrice for reasons unknown. The funeral is Thursday at 11 a.m.in Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church,. Eubanks and three other inmates were allowed to leave the prison to go Christmas shopping at a local mall - unsupervised. Potter, Karen Crews 3 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. After reading about Lester Eubanks, learn about Wayne Williams and the Atlanta Child Murders. 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. One of the U.S. Marshals 15 most-wanted fugitives, authorities are offering a $50,000 reward for his capture, the agencys highest ever. "Take him out and turn him loose in a shopping center for rehabilitation purposes? Would love your thoughts, please comment. The FBI would not make available the person in charge of the nations criminal DNA database, Thomas F. Callaghan, for an interview. 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. Lester will be remembered for hiscontagious smile, great sense of humor and his giving heart! For many years he was a faithful member of the Queen of Angels Roman Catholic Church in Newark, NJ. Lester Eubanks hasnt seen its grounds in nearly 50 years. Marshal David Siler, a member of a cold case squad seeking Eubanks, said, according to KABC-TV. 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. Eubanks escaped from the Ohio State Penitentiary in 1973, according to City News Service. In October, the marshals service increased the reward from $25,000 to $50,000 for information leading to Eubank's capture. All they knew was that it had to be pre-planned. Marshals seeking info on convicted child killer Lester Eubanks, More: Lester Eubanks case to be featured on Investigation Discovery. For many years he was a faithful member of the Queen of Angels Roman Catholic Church in Newark, NJ. Lester Eubanks showed no remorse, and he never even attempt to apologize for his actions to the jury or Mary's family. My mom, she was just beside herself., I dont want you to think this has consumed my life, because it didnt, said Myrtle Carter. But every state contributes its DNA repository to the national database, and some states have restrictions against those types of familial searches. [All we need is] that one tipster, that one person that can bring in the last piece of the puzzle, even if they knew him a year ago, two years ago, said Siler. An interview with David Siler, who has been working the case since 2016. Thats because DNA from Eubanks biological son would not be used so much to conduct a familial search, as to construct a profile of the fugitive himself. Tragically, she found Eubanks, instead. We just need to talk to those people.. Lester Eubanks (born October 31, 1943) [1] is an American criminal and fugitive who escaped prison in Ohio in 1973 after being jailed for the murder of 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener. Marshals are not deterred by the passage of time when it comes to cases like this one, said 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.. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. We are still focused on the L.A. area. Eubanks attempted to rape her before killing her. "We continue to fight for [Deener] so that someday she will get justice when we're able to put Lester Eubanks in custody.". On Friday, the 45th anniversary of the 1973 escape, the U.S. It's just so disgusting, so unjust," says Siler. 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. Eubanks could have faded from public consciousness, but he was back in the news on Dec. 7, 1973, after escapingwhile Christmas shopping in Columbus on an honor assignment. Furthermore, it appears DNA evidence collected from his biological son could yield enormous leaps previously unavailable in catching him. George L. 6 entries. In 1973, convicted child murderer Lester Eubanks escaped from prison. John Arcudi of the Mansfield Police Department. 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. 3 min read. Other unique physical characteristics include a mole under his left eye, according to the U.S. marshals. It was clear to Deputy U.S. The .gov means its official. 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. (U.S. Eubanks confessed to the murder the following day after local authorities placed him under arrest. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or submit a tip using U.S. The USMS established the 15 Most Wanted Fugitive Program in 1983 to prioritize investigation & apprehension of some of the countrys most dangerous fugitives. Eubanks was so well-mannered and docile that he became an Honor Inmate at the facility, which earned him certain privileges. He was a guy who didnt lay his head in any one place for very long.. 29 2021, Updated 5:18 p.m. Marshals wanted poster. But, the one thing that theyre sure about is that his family and his associates know exactly where he is and that they are helping him in keeping his real identity a secret. A composite of what Lester Eubanks might look like today. "She was always giggling," recalls Carter. 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.. (U.S. But Mary Ellen didn't die, not right away. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! 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. May God Bless and Keep You! Deputy U.S. 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. He fled the scene of the crime, passing by it 45 minutes later to discovered Deener alive and suffering through her injuries. [2] [3] His disappearance featured on the Netflix series Unsolved Mysteries. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, By the time 2 p.m. rolled around, though, Lester was long gone. Eubanks was featured last year on theNetflix show "Unsolved Mysteries" in an episode titled "Death Row Fugitive.". He thoroughly enjoyed bowling and spent many years on a bowling league. Authorities also alleged that he tried to rape her. The federal government has a policy in place that they do not permit familial searches, she said. Marshals Service). After his military years Lester worked at General ServiceAdministration (GSA) where he retired. The bus that he was on was stopped by law enforcement officials on the interstate lines, and Lester did think that his freedom was over, but he got lucky yet again. Investigators narrowed their search to the City of Angels due in part to recently obtained photos from after his escape that showed him working and living in the area. A captain searched the national database to check if Lester had committed an offense somewhere else, and the information had somehow not been forwarded, but what he found was even more shocking. He attended his school years in the Newark School system where he eventually graduated from West Side High School. I think hes probably still alive. Out of change, Deener walked to another Laundromat for nickels and dimes. But for the last 49 years, his whereabouts have been a mystery. 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. Everyone who knew him described him as weird or a loner. That's all conjecture though. Carter still prays for justice and that her sister's soul can finally be at peace. We thought it was over. "I mean it just boggles the mind," says retired Capt. One person still hoping for a breakthrough is Myrtle Carter, the surviving older sister of Eubanks' victim, Mary Ellen Deener. U.S. 2," may not be on the run for much . Investigators narrowed their search to the Los Angeles area 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, NBC Los Angeles reports. Theyre just not giving him up.. 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. [2][3] His disappearance featured on the Netflix series Unsolved Mysteries. 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. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lester A. Eubanks please visit our, Blessed Sacrament St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Church. Marshals to place Lester Eubanks on their 15 Most Wanted list. All rights reserved. Plant a tree in memory of Lester An environmentally friendly option Plant a tree Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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, whom he bludgeoned to death. January 20, 2019. 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. Still, Kaye said, there is room for exceptions. Marshals Service number: 866-4WANTED (866-492-6833). Sommers, Carol Louise Orr 2 entries. She was 14 years old when she was killed. Marshal Brian Fitzgibbon said after the Netflix showing that the marshals service received a lot of tips from people filling in the holes. March 29, 2021 Lester Eubanks in the 1970s, and as he would appear today. ", The U.S. Lester would give you the shirt off his back and would do everything to help support hisfamily. Listen and subscribe to the "Have You Seen This Man? The U.S. Lester Eubanks. MANSFIELD - U.S. marshals have increased the reward from $25,000 to $50,000 in the case of convicted . Investigators believe the fugitive lived off and on with a woman named Kay Eubanks between about 1975 and 1996. It was the last time the 14-year-old was seen alive. Per the report, authorities say Eubanks worked and lived in Los Angeles . Dwayne Heard, Atlanta entrepreneur, dies at 67. They want the child killer captured, and they wont stop until they succeed. Following that, a local warrant against him was issued, which was upgraded to a national one when the FBI got involved a short while later. Arizona was the last of the contiguous states to be admitted to the United . View All obituaries Today. pic.twitter.com/BJG0jeEUpz. Mitchell, Nancy Elizabeth Wood 7 entries. Background [ edit] Born in Mansfield, Ohio ,, [1] Banks grew up in Buffalo, New York, and learned to sing in gospel churches before choosing a career in secular music. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Lester A. Eubanks was born on June 29, 1920 to the late Hartwell and Leora Eubanks in Irvington, NJ. MANSFIELD - Mary Ellen Deener went searching for change for the laundromat on Nov. 14, 1965. Ram said the policy is intended to prevent law enforcement from overstepping during an investigation, and violating the rights or privacy of someone who is merely related to a criminal suspect, but not under any suspicion themselves. Although Eubanks was sentenced to death, in 1972 his sentence was commuted to life in prison. On November 30, 2017, Lester A. Eubanks entered into his ultimate resting place at the age 97. Contact USA.gov, usmarshals.gov is an official site of the U.S. Federal Government, U.S. Department of Justice. Eubanks had previously been sentenced with the death penalty, but the sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole in 1972. Someone whos like, I know that guy.'. Richland County Sheriffs DepartmentLester Eubanks had a criminal history of sexual offenses prior to Mary Deeners murder. For the seven years Lester Eubanks was in jail, he acted like a model prisoner. He was asked to meet back at a specific time and place near the mall when he was finished. Lester served in the United States Army and received an honorable discharge after 4 years of service. "Unsolved Mysteries" season 2 releases on October 19; one of the episodes features the murder of Mary Ellen Deener. She headed out to get change and never came back. He confessed to smashing her head in with a brick, killing her. After fleeing Ohio, Lester went to Michigan for a few weeks because he wanted to see the extent of the search against him. Kay was worried that shed be charged for harboring a fugitive, so she revealed everything that she knew, starting from the very beginning. Lester leaves to mourn and carry on his legacy of support and love of family onto his sons Michael, James & Vincent Eubanks; daughters Sheila Pugh and Catherine Eubanks; his daughter in law Norma JeanBrown of Toms River; 11 grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; sisters Leora & Helen Eubanks, Madelyn Hicks and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins andfriends. But Greely said a search could be worthwhile. Unsolved Mysteries Host Robert Stacks Cause of Death: How Did He Die. 'Unsolved Mysteries' covers the case. Funeral Home Services for Lester are being provided by Conner-Westbury Funeral Home. Lester Lackey & Sons Funeral Home 1163 Reynolds Street SW P.O. Therefore, he was soon convicted for Mary Ellen Deener's 1965 slaying and was given the death penalty. At the time of his disappearance, he weighed approximately 175 pounds. "Fugitives on the run as long as Eubanks tend to use that time to change their appearance, use aliases, and even start new lives," Siler said, according to City News Service. Marshal David Siler reflected on Eubanks escape, lamenting to the Manfield News Journal