Who Is Lester Eubanks? America’s most enduring manhunts

Lester Eubanks—not “Letser”—a fugitive whose case remains one of America’s most enduring manhunts. Here’s what I found:

Who Is Lester Eubanks?

• Full Name: Lester Eubanks (also used aliases like Victor Young and Pete Eubanks)
  
• Crime: In 1965, he murdered 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener in Ohio during what was reported as an attempted rape.
• Sentence: Originally sentenced to death, his sentence was later commuted to life in prison without parole after the death penalty was ruled unconstitutional in 1972.
  

Escape & Manhunt

• Escape: In December 1973, Eubanks walked away during a prison furlough granted due to good behavior. He has been missing ever since.
  
• Wanted: Listed in 2016 among the U.S. Marshals’ Top 15 Most Wanted fugitives, with a reward of up to $50,000 for information on his whereabouts.
  

Where Do Authorities Think He Might Be?

• Southern California: Investigators believe he never left the area, possibly living under the name Victor Young, working in places like Gardena, South LA, Long Beach, or North Hollywood. He may have worked as a janitor at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood during the late ’80s or early ’90s.
  
• Waterbed Factory: He was also believed to be employed at a waterbed factory in Gardena. An ex-employer recalled his bike commute and distinctive cologne.
  

Renewed Interest & Media Coverage

• His story was featured in Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries (Volume 2, Episode 3: “Death Row Fugitive”), sparking renewed interest and numerous tips.
  
• Thanks to digital tools, investigators now have an updated age-progressed image of what Eubanks might look like at age 81.
  
• Authorities believe they are closer than ever to capturing him, with community involvement intensifying around the case.
  

Summary Table