A Florida sex offender who staged his own death 16 years ago to evade law enforcement has been located and arrested in Indianapolis, Indiana. Gary W. Howard, 76, was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) following a lengthy investigation, which finally closed a cold case that began in 2010.
Howard, who was convicted of 22 counts of Possession of Child Pornography in Pinellas County, Florida, is designated a Sex Offender for LIFE. He absconded from his probation in Florida in 2010.
Staged Suicide Plot
Shortly after vanishing, an Enterprise rental vehicle registered to Howard was found near Mauzy Lake in Morganfield, Kentucky. Investigators quickly determined the discovery was a deliberate and premeditated attempt by Howard to stage his own suicide and mislead law enforcement.
Further investigation revealed that Howard had a significant network of relatives in the Indianapolis, Indiana, area, whom he was relying on to remain “off the grid.”
Capture in Historic Neighborhood
Working with the USMS Western/Kentucky District and the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force (GLRFTF), investigative leads focused surveillance on the Indianapolis area. Simultaneous interviews with relatives led to an admission of Howard’s whereabouts, which turned out to be a location already under surveillance.
Howard was positively identified exiting a residence in the historic Irvington neighborhood of Indianapolis. The U.S. Marshals Service moved in and arrested him on the front porch without incident.
Upon arrest, Howard stated, “I had hoped to be dead before you caught up with me.”
Facing Additional Charges
Howard will be extradited to Florida. He faces further imprisonment for violation of probation, and potentially 32 Failure to Register charges in Florida. He may also face prosecution under the Adam Walsh Act in Indiana.
“This arrest exemplifies the tenacity and determination of Deputy U.S. Marshals and our task force partners to bring every fugitive to Justice,” said William Berger Sr., U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of Florida. “You can run, you can hide, but law enforcement never stops hunting those who defy it—justice has a way of catching up to those who run from it.”
READ: Florida Man Convicted Of Aggravated Animal Cruelty After Fatally Shooting Neighbor’s Pet Cat
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