John Walsh’s Number One Fugitive of 2007

1: Manuel Penaloza: On the evening of October 27, 2006, Heidi was heading home from a visit with her parents in Pasadena, Calif. when her journey came to a sudden halt. Police say a vehicle in the oncoming lane crashed and Heidi got out to help the injured driver. However, her altruistic rescue attempt resulted in her being assaulted and carjacked by a 20-year-old gang member named Manuel Penaloza. Penaloza soon crashed Heidi's car and cops say he fled the scene on foot. Authorities searched Penaloza's car and knew that the investigation had only just begun when they discovered two people shot execution style in the abandoned vehicle.

America's Most Wanted story updates 12-29-07

In this week’s show, we’re featuring John Walsh’s Top Ten Fugitives of 2007: Here they are…

10: Alexis Flores: Five-year-old Iriana DeJesus was found sexually assaulted and strangled to death in an empty apartment complex near her house in 2000. For years, the case went unsolved, but in March, the FBI got the break they were looking for: a DNA match from convicted criminal Alexis Flores.


9: Dominic Lyde: Deputies in South Carolina say two fugitives still on the run after one of the country's largest armored car heists might just be staying close to home. Police say Dominic Lyde played a role in stealing nearly $10 million -- $5 million of which is still missing.


8: Derrick Benjamin: Deputies in South Carolina have already arrested five suspects who they believe were involved in the robbery. Detectives say that Derrick Benjamin was also involved.


7: Nai Yin Xue: Authorities in Los Angeles tell AMW that a multi-agency international task force is currently on the lookout for Nai Yin Xue, a self-proclaimed martial arts master accused of killing his wife in New Zealand and abandoning his 3-year-old daughter at a train station in Melbourne, Australia.


6: Patricio Sosa: Patricio Sosa was one of the ringleaders of an operation that imported women and children from Mexico and forced them into prostitution in Florida, according to authorities. Now, law enforcement wants to put the brakes on this alleged trafficker.


5: Rafael Cadena-Sosa: Like many young men, authorities say Rafael Cadena-Sosa went into the family business. Unfortunately, that business was human trafficking and prostitution, according to the FBI.


4: Carmela Cadena: Imagine being kidnapped from your home country, held captive, and forced to work as a prostitute. This is the fate of thousands of women and children who are smuggled into the U.S. every year. The FBI says they're kept in line by women like Carmela Cadena, a member of the Cadena-Sosa family who is alleged to run a major trafficking and prostitution enterprise.


3: Paul Jackson: Cops say that when Paul Erven Jackson went to visit his brother, the pair didn't engage in the usual family bonding. Instead, they lured teenage girls back to a homemade sex-torture chamber. While Jackson is still on the run, Vance Roberts turned himself in back in September of 2006 and was convicted on June 6, 2007 after an hour of jury deliberation on 24 counts of charges ranging from first-degree kidnap to first-degree rape. On August 3, 2007, Judge Timothy Alexander sentenced Roberts to 108 years in prison.


2: Robert Bowman: AMW tipsters are telling cops exactly where they've seen 71-year-old accused killer Robert Bowman. Cops say the strongest tips are out of southern California and Sin City: tipsters have spotted Bowman living on the strip in Las Vegas as a homeless man. None of the sightings have been confirmed but cops are working to pinpoint any location that Bowman may have been recently. Since 1967, Ohio cops say Robert Bowman has literally gotten away with murder. They say science has finally caught up to the accused killer, and DNA irrefutably ties him to the abduction, rape and murder of 14-year-old Eileen Adams in Toledo, Ohio some 40 years ago.


1: Tune in Saturday Night...

America's Most Wanted story updates 12-22-07

Are you interested in some of the cases America's Most Wanted is covering? Do you want to know the latest update? Just click on the name for more details.

Unknown Rashawn Brazell Killer: Police in New York want to know who would want to decapitate 19-year-old Rashawn Brazell, stuff his body parts into trash bags and leave them in a New York Subway station. That's why they've turned to AMW to help solve this gruesome murder. AMW received lots of tips the first two times we aired this story. Now, cops hope the third time is a charm in finding Rashawn's killer.


James Bell: Parents near Providence, R.I., were in for the shock of their lives when they found out that James Bell -- the trusted gymnastics coach at a local YMCA -- was accused of molesting their children. What's more, cops say this is just one incident in a long history of sexual abuse and manipulation. But now, Bell has disappeared, and police are on the manhunt for a predator they say is responsible for victimizing girls across the country.


Troy Bolin: Police say although fugitive Troy Lane Bolin might be a thin, scruffy looking guy, he's as dangerous as child predators come. Bolin is wanted for molesting two young girls repeatedly over the course of several years.


Evelyn Guzman: Evelyn Guzman was only spotted once by FBI agents, but what they saw was enough to convince them that she was part of a large drug conspiracy that been operating for months in Chicago.


James Roberts: Police say Toby Roberts had a mission, and he wasn't going to stop until it was completed. Cops say he tried to kill his girlfriend, and he was so determined, he used three different tools to finish the job. But he might not have known his girlfriend as well as he thought, because she wasn't going down without a major fight.


Augusto Rodriguez: Most fugitives will do anything to avoid being recognized -- use an alias, change their hairstyle, you name it. But the FBI says one Pennsylvania kidnapper has gone even further. According to reports, Augusto Rodriguez is so afraid of getting caught, he may have taken on the ultimate disguise -- dressing like a woman.


Unknown Chicago Jane Doe: Chicago Police are doing everything they can to identify an unknown murder victim, even reaching out to one of AMW's favorite crimefighters for help -- forensic artist Karen Taylor. With Karen's illustrations and clay recreations, Windy City detectives are hoping someone recognizes the victim and that will lead them to her killer.


Mark Everett: Once upon a time, Mark Everett was a child actor who craved time in front of the camera. Now, cops say he's a killer on the lam who's doing everything he can to stay out of sight -- and his run from justice isn't easy with a kid in tow.


Bobby Weatherton: U.S. Marshals say Bobby Weatherton -- accused of rape, kidnapping, attempted murder and violating his federal probation -- very nearly killed a female friend he'd assaulted and held prisoner. She managed to escape, and now the Feds are hot on Bobby's trail.


Shorty Rodriguez: Police announced the capture of a suspected career criminal -- Ronald "Shorty" Rodriguez -- at a press conference Thursday in New York. Nassau County, N.Y. cops say it all went down in the picturesque beach resort of Coney Island after Shorty's family saw him on AMW; police believe people close to Rodriguez turned on him to save themselves from getting into serious trouble. Rodriguez is now in custody awaiting trial on a number of charges.

America's Most Wanted story updates 12-08-07

Are you interested in some of the cases America's Most Wanted is covering? Do you want to know the latest update? Just click on the name for more details.

Jason Brown: About two weeks before Christmas 2005, a family in southern California received a UPS package from Portland, Ore. But it wasn't a welcome gift. It was a package of clues from accused killer, Jason Brown. A laptop, golf clubs, and his warm weather clothing.


Taizhi Cui: In October 2006, Los Angeles' Korean community was shocked by a triple murder that happened in their own backyard. Cops say the deaths were the work of a jilted lover hell-bent on getting revenge on an ex-girlfriend and her new paramour. However, authorities are still looking for the man they say pulled the trigger ... Taizhi Cui.


Richard Ochoa: Apparently, Richard Ochoa is a real nice guy. He's married, has a kid, and nobody has a bad word to say about him. Until police discovered that he was allegedly involved in the business of running drugs all over Michigan. Now, police want to bring him in before somebody else falls for his nice-guy act.


Carey Price: Police have been searching for alleged drunk driver Carey Price after he didn't show up for a court appearance. Price is one of two fugitives who still remain on the run from a February 2005 airing of AMW -- the other 8 are all behind bars. It's time all ten fugitives from this episode are put where they belong.


Javier Mendoza: In the early morning hours of Saturday, Aug. 6, 2005 in Kansas City, Kan. Maria Guzman was riding in a car with three friends when she was shot and killed when the car she was in exchanged gunfire. This stemmed from an earlier incident, where a girl lost a fight with another girl and was seeking revenge.


Tuen Lee: Two years ago, Tuen "Dickie" Lee was charged with sexually assaulting a co-worker from the sushi restaurant he managed. The victim said she was able to identify Lee by his bad breath. Earlier this month, Lee was convicted in absentia when he failed to show up for the closing arguments of his nine-day trial. Now, the manhunt is on for the 38-year-old who could face life in prison if and when he's apprehended.


Atlantic City Quadruple Murderer: Just before Thanksgiving 2006, the bodies of four prostitutes were discovered in a marshy creek not far from the lights of Atlantic City's casinos. The crime scene was eerie; each woman was fully clothed except for shoes and socks, and their heads were all facing east, toward Atlantic City. Although authorities are hesitant to say the murders are the work of a serial killer, the buzz on the streets is that there could be more victims. Those who call the streets of Atlantic City home are sticking together more than ever to protect themselves.


Unknown Fairmount Park Rapist: After four years of silence, DNA evidence confirms that the Fairmount Park Rapist has struck again. Cops in Philadelphia have linked an August 11, 2007 attack to others, dating back several years, including one that resulted in the death of a 21-year-old woman. Check out My Fox Philadelphia for continuing coverage and stay with AMW.com for the latest in this case.


Justin Gaines: Gainesville State college student Justin Gaines has gone missing after a night out with his friends. Now, his family is trying to find out what happened to the Gainesville, Ga. man.

America's Most Wanted: Missing Children

America's Most Wanted story updates 12-01-07

Are you interested in some of the cases America's Most Wanted is covering? Do you want to know the latest update? Just click on the name for more details.



Eric Rosenstrom: Eric Rosenstrom likes to write murder mysteries, but police say the fatal shooting of a hotel owner on August 16, 2001 is no whodunit -- they believe Rosenstrom is the perp. But with his vast knowledge of law enforcement, he could be tough to catch.


Unknown Sean Taylor Killer: Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor, 24, was shot in the upper leg during a home invasion early Monday morning and passed away early Tuesday after losing a significant amount of blood from a damaged artery. A suspect still has not been named in the shooting.


Unknown “Baby Grace” Killer: Cops in Galveston County are waiting for DNA results to confirm that 2-year-old Riley Ann Sawyers is the young girl they've lovingly referred to as Baby Grace. Cops have charged Riley's mother, 19-year-old Kimberly Dawn Treno, and 24-year-old Royce Clyde Zeigler with injury to a child and tampering with physical evidence. In the meantime, cops are still looking into dozens of leads related to young girls who haven't been accounted for.


Madeleine McCann: Possible new evidence in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann breathed new life into the toddler's case this month when a bag of clothing was found just an hour away from the holiday villa where Madeleine vanished. Despite so much time having passed since she went missing, Madeleine's parents remain optimistic.


Tanya Diane Brown: Cops say when Tanya Diane Brown learned it was likely she would lose custody of her children, she packed all their bags and vanished in March 2005. Weeks later, when police arrived at a motel in San Ysidro, Calif., they found evidence proving they had just missed Brown and her young kids. Among the personal items left behind, authorities found a journal written by Brown's oldest daughter, Tori, describing her desperation and fear of being forced into a life of hiding.


Jenny Liang: Hot tempered Jenny Liang has a violent history with the men in her life. According to Las Vegas police her jealousy boiled over to murder when she shot her wealthy boyfriend in the head. Liang skipped to Hong Kong, but now cops believe she may be back in Nevada.


Latasha Norman: Stanley Cole, 23, was charged with hitting 20-year-old Latasha Norman this past October. Seven days after Latasha went missing, her body has been found and Cole was arrested for something much more sinister: he has been charged with murder.


Kyle Fleischmann Missing: Family, friends, and classmates of Kyle Fleischmann started a page on the popular social networking website Facebook to connect with each other and spread news of the missing 24-year-old. Now, the group has over 60,000 members and is still growing exponentially. Not only has the group become a useful way to swap updates, it has brought further media attention to the missing man's story.


Colin Jackson: Six-year-old Colin Jackson was supposed to visit his non-custodial father on August 27, 2007. But what was supposed to be a short visit soon turned into a disappearing act. Thanks to some astute librarians and some help from AMW.com, Colin and his father were found safe in a tiny western North Carolina town.

Funding for the NCMA

To Family Members and Friends of the Missing,

Monday, November 5th, 2007, might be remembered by those involved in the missing persons cause as a day in which a huge step backwards was taken.

Unless something major breaks in the way of funding, this will be the day in which the National Center for Missing Adults (NCMA) will close their doors. Thousands of families will be affected, now and in the future.

Why is this happening?

The answer is complex, but in summary:

• The NCMA stepped up and assisted over 13,000 victims of Hurricane Katrina and was to be reimbursed for those expenditures, which were close to $250,000. At this time, the NCMA has only received $50,000 to cover the work they did at the request of the Dept. of Justice.

• The 2007 re-authorization of Kristen’s Law, (HR 423) which would provide the NCMA with up to $4 million per year in funding for 10 years, continues to remain in the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security committee, with no action taken to help the center. This re-authorization effort has been in the works unsuccessfully since 2005.

• As experienced not only by the NCMA, but by other national organizations, including ours, the public does not generally consider missing adults’ assistance nonprofits as a part of their charitable giving plans. Corporations are also hesitant to provide funding, and grant makers don’t seem responsive, either. This lack of support has also contributed to the problem.

What will save the NCMA at this late hour?

If an “angel” company or person comes forward who can help keep the center operating until the Kristen’s Law Re-authorization funds are released.

AND/OR

The DOJ immediately releases the funds owed to the NCMA from their work related to Hurricane Katrina.


What Can I Do?

I spent time talking with Kym Pasqualini, founder of the NCMA, late last night, and based upon the conversation, this is what she asks of you if you feel moved to help with a final effort.

• Kym feels that, out of all the national media, the person who could best help with exposure and a push for action is Larry King of CNN’s Larry King Live Show. She says that Larry’s show is watched by many members of congress and that he is not afraid to step on toes to get something accomplished. If she could get a spot on his show as soon as possible, she plans to talk candidly about the situation.If you can help with this step, please write to Larry King at larrykinglive@cnn.com and ask him to have Kym on as a guest immediately. Keep in mind that even if a spot on the show is not successful at moving congress or getting the Katrina reimbursement, it could reach the “angel” company or person as mentioned above.

• Contact Peter D. Keisler, acting Attorney General, and let him know how you feel about missing adults losing their national clearinghouse and resource. Mention the 2007 re-authorization of Kristen’s Law, (HR 423) You can also write to Vice President Dick Cheney at vice_president@whitehouse.gov The White House fax is 202-456-2461. Use AskDOJ@usdoj.gov to send correspondence to the Attorney General’s office.

• The webpage for the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security is http://judiciary.house.gov/committeestructure.aspx?committee=6Once there, click on the names of the various members and be redirected to their own websites with contact information. You can also write to your congressman.

Time is quickly running out for this year’s session, so please send your letters right away.

No matter what happens, we need to find a way to gain more support from the general public for our missing persons’ assistance organizations. We cannot allow the continued disintegration of all we have worked so hard for in the past few years.

Not only would the loss of the NCMA represent less support for families of the missing, but it also means that another avenue of training for law enforcement is gone. (When fully funded, the NCMA had assisted with providing specialized missing adults investigative training through the excellent Fox Valley Technical College.)

I know this is long, but in order to gain a better understanding, I would like you to also read the following:

http://voice4themissing.blogspot.com/2006/07/71006-matter-of-urgency.html(I am also posting this update on that link.)

There is a letter on the previous site that we used in our original campaign. I have re-written that letter for use in this campaign. You may use this letter to send to our government representatives and the Attorney General’s office. You will find this letter below my signature.

I know I have asked much of you, so if you can only do one thing suggested in this letter, write to Larry King and ask him to have Kym on as a guest right away.

Remember when the NCMA was there for you? Now you can be there for them.

If we do not try, then we will never succeed. If we do try, then we have a chance.

There is always hope.

Kelly Jolkowski, Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski

President and Founder, Project Jason

http://www.projectjason.org/

SAMPLE Letter

Dear ,

I am writing to you about a bill, HR 423, which is now stagnant in the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. HR 423 authorizes the Attorney General to provide grants for organizations to find missing adults, and specifically to extend funding in the amount of $4,000,000 annually to the National Center for Missing Adults. (NCMA) This would allow them to continue to assist families of missing adults nationwide.

This bill has not made any progress this year. The government supports the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, (NCMEC) providing up to 35 million dollars per year in funding, but yet we cannot help the NCMA with 4 million? NCMEC does a fine job, but they do not assist in missing adults’ cases, leaving thousands of families without help or hope of recovering their missing adult loved one.

It has also been brought to my attention that the NCMA assisted with Hurricane Katrina missing adults at a cost to them of over $200,000. The government said they would reimburse them, but at this time has not. This situation, coupled with the fact that HR423 has not come to fruition, has placed the NCMA in the position of reducing staff, and even being forced to close their doors by early November if swift action is not taken.

Families of missing adults have few resources available to them as they search for their missing loved one. Hundreds upon hundreds of organizations exist to assist in missing children’s cases, but there are fewer than a twenty to assist with missing adults cases. As the main support system for families of missing adults nationwide, the NCMA has provided a highly visible means to bring awareness for their missing loved one. We cannot allow this valuable resource to cease to exist because of a lack of funding.

Even though you have not experienced this tragic situation in your own life, try to put yourself in our shoes, if only for a moment. The typical family of a missing adult does not have the means or knowledge to begin the necessary legwork on their own family member’s case. They must rely upon external sources to help them, such as the NCMA, to have hopes for a positive outcome.

I ask you to find out why HR 423 sits idle in the hands of our government’s representatives while the NCMA’s monetary resources have been depleted as the result of our government’s request of them. What can be done to ensure HR 423 is signed into law? Secondarily, I ask you to inquire of the US Department of Justice the status of reimbursing the NCMA for assisting with over 13,000 Hurricane Katrina victims.

This matter is critical, and effects human lives; not just the missing persons themselves, but also the left-behind families who suffer through the agony of waking up daily, not knowing what has become of their missing loved ones. [I know this from personal experience, as my own son has been missing without a trace for over 6 years.] <<alter to fit your story

I ask you to help in any way that you can in this matter. I would like to be able to wake up in the morning and know that everyone I love and care for is safe and happy, just as you are able. I speak for thousands of other families across the nation in saying this. If the NCMA ceases to exist, then our numbers will surely increase. I don’t want to see this happen, and I am confident you don’t either. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Daughtry-"All these lives"

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Screensaver for missing kids

PRESS RELEASE

NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHILDREN AND GLOBAL SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS INTRODUCE MISSING CHILDREN SCREENSAVER

Rotating Missing Child Pictures When the Computer is Idle

Washington, D.C., August 1, 2007 –The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) today announced a new tool for engaging the public in their search for missing children. “Missing Kid Saver” is a screensaver that will use idle computer power to display important images and information about missing children...

Missing Madeleine

These are some of the most widely read posts in the past 48 hours concerning missing Madeleine McCann.

Missing Madeleine McCann
Cell phone pings and missing Madeleine
Romigen and missing Madeleine
The hoax is on you
Madeleine McCann still missing




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Read more about Madleine McCann and other missing children at When a child goes missing

Some recent stories

Site update: There is an RSS feed from the NCMEC with "Missing Children Alerts" at the right and "Missing Children Banners" featuring a missing child in the footer of this page. You can view a new blog related to Allison Quets story here.

Some links to recent "When a child goes missing" posts.

• Murder or Motherhood


• Amber Alert and runaway mother


• Invent the Future


• Sex offender on the run


• Jessica’s Law and North Carolina


• Judge for yourself


• No comment


• Should what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas?


• Missing or on vacation?


• Amanda Brown Foundation