Reward Increased $50k To Find Convicted Child Killer After "Unsolved Mysteries" Airing

Lester Eubanks was sentenced to death for the attempted rape and murder of 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener in Mansfield, Ohio. If you've seen Eubanks you can contact our "In Pursuit with John Walsh" tipline 24/7 by texting: 833-378-7783.

Lester Eubanks in 1973 and as he'd appear today

Lester Eubanks

Lester Eubanks in 1973 and as he'd appear today [U.S. Marshals]

Lester Eubanks in 1973 and as he'd appear today [U.S. Marshals]

By: Michelle Sigona

The U.S. Marshals confirm they've received more than 100 tips in five days through multiple countries in the search to find convicted child killer Lester Eubanks. The leads poured in after Eubanks was featured on a new "Unsolved Mysteries" episode airing on Netflix.

The U.S. Marshal Top 15 Most Wanted has been on the run since December 7, 1973 after he was sentenced to death for the murder of 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener in Mansfield, Ohio. Although he was facing a death sentence, Eubanks was commuted to life in prison. In 1973, prison officials in Columbus allowed Eubanks to go Christmas shopping unescorted as a reward for "good behavior."

Senior inspector with the U.S. Marshals David Silver tells CrimeFeed, "In a 37 year history of the 15 Most Wanted program this is the first time the Marshals service executive leadership has allowed a reward of $50k for the capture of a fugitive." Since being featured on "In Pursuit with John Walsh" in the spring of 2020, Eubanks has been among the top cases for tip generation.

Myrtle Carter, Mary Ellen's older sister, recently spoke out to Cleveland 19 about her sister's killer living a free life all these years, “Whether he is free with quotation marks or not he’s not actually free. He can’t do what I can do. He still has to hide and that’s gotta be a burden on him. He may have lived but not really lived.”

Authorities say Eubanks not only tried to rape Mary Ellen, but shot her twice and then returned to the scene to beat her with a brick, leaving her to die. Carter says Mary Ellen and their younger sister were out that day doing laundry at a local laundromat when her sister was attacked.

Carter also told Cleveland 19, “Of course no one knows, but the police the authorities figured that Eubanks must have encountered her, they figured he saw her going and just waited because he lived right there in the middle, basically between the two laundry mats, and he just waited for her to come back and attacked her there."

Eubanks failed to return to his pick up location with the officials and has been on the run ever since. In 2019, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children released an age-enhanced photo of what Eubanks could look like today.

Authorities believe Eubanks is still alive and is now now 76-years-old. He could be armed and dangerous.

If you know anything about his case, please contact our "In Pursuit with John Walsh" hotline: 833-378-7783 (PURSUIT)

CASE DETAILS & FUGITIVE CHARACTERISTICS

Possible Aliases: Victor Young, Pete Eubanks

Possible locations: California, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, Washington state, North Carolina

Wanted for: Escape

Location of Crime: Mansfield, OH

DOB: October 31, 1943

RACE: Black

SEX: Male

HEIGHT: 5 feet 11 inches

HAIR: Black

EYES: Brown

WEIGHT: 175 pounds

SCARS or TATTOOS: Large scar or burn on upper right arm

Mole under his left eye

Read more: Cleveland 19

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