Account
Jan 07, 2019
Jan 18, 2024
Lester
Eubanks
80
30
71 inches
175 lbs
Black / African American
Male
The story of Lester Eubanks is a troubling account that begins long before his disappearance. In Mansfield, Ohio, on November 14, 1965, the life of 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener was tragically cut short. Eubanks, who was out on bond for an attempted rape at the time, attacked the young girl as she was walking to a laundromat. After a brutal assault, he shot her and left, only to return 20 minutes later to find her still breathing. He then bludgeoned her with a brick, ending her life. The following day, authorities arrested Eubanks at his home, where he confessed to the murder. In May 1966, a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder and he was sentenced to death. Eubanks remained on death row until 1972, when a Supreme Court ruling led to his sentence being commuted to life in prison. Despite the violent nature of his crime, Eubanks was eventually granted "honor inmate" status, a privilege that allowed him certain freedoms. On December 7, 1973, he was one of several inmates given a temporary furlough to go Christmas shopping at a mall in Columbus, Ohio. Under a now-defunct program, he and the other inmates were dropped off and permitted to shop unescorted, with the simple instruction to return at a designated time. Eubanks never came back. When the designated time for return passed, the corrections officers realized he was missing, giving him a significant head start to vanish without a trace. His escape marked the beginning of a decades-long search for a convicted murderer who had seemingly slipped through the cracks of the justice system. In the years following his escape, the search for Lester Eubanks has spanned the nation, with authorities pursuing numerous leads and potential sightings. Investigations have revealed that he likely spent a considerable amount of time in Southern California, living under the alias "Victor Young". It is believed he frequented areas such as Gardena, South Central, Long Beach, and North Hollywood. There is also information suggesting he may have worked as a janitor at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood in the late 1980s or early 1990s. The U.S. Marshals Service took over the case in 2016 and, in 2018, added Eubanks to their 15 Most Wanted Fugitives list, offering a substantial reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his capture. The case remains an active and ongoing investigation, representing a painful and unresolved chapter for the family of Mary Ellen Deener and a stark reminder of a fugitive who has evaded justice for over half a century.
Dec 07, 1973
Columbus
Ohio
Franklin County
No
45563
Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation
London
Ohio
Madison County
43140
Samantha Molnar
Criminal Intelligence Analyst
1560 State Route 56 Southwest, Ohio
State
Law Enforcement
United States Marshals Service
9853
Black
Brown
Brown
06/02/2026
