Latest news with #fugitive
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
2 cities, 2 buildings and 1 fugitive landlord leaves tenants in unlivable conditions
A wanted fugitive accused of being the ringleader of a grandparent scam has left tenants in two southwestern Ontario cities with a host of maintenance issues and no one to turn to for help. Gareth West, 45, owns two apartment buildings in London and St. Thomas, according to property records obtained by CBC News. He's been at large since U.S. authorities issued an arrest warrant for him in February for the alleged scam call centre he operated out of Montreal, defrauding American seniors out of more than $21 million US. Tenants at both of his buildings say they haven't been able to get a hold of West in months. In that time, they've dealt with sporadic power and water outages, garbage piling up, their units in need of significant repairs and now, without a landlord, they're unsure of what comes next. "We're kind of left in limbo. Gareth is missing in action and nobody knows where he is," Audrey Knight said, who lives at 14 Holland Street, a three-storey walk-up in St. Thomas where she pays $1,900 in rent each month. "We have one email [contact] and it doesn't get replies, so we're just trying to navigate where we go next and unfortunately nobody really has great answers for us," Knight said. Despite residents keeping up with their monthly rent, power was cut off for several hours on Tuesday because their landlord hasn't paid the hydro bills. Garbage also hasn't been collected since April and some residents have taken it upon themselves to do lawn care and clean the building, Knight said. "It's very stressful when you don't know from one day to the next if I'm going to have water or electricity because we paid all our bills," said Wendy Nichols, 70, who has lived at the building for almost six years. The residents said they won't be paying rent until the situation is resolved, with some saying efforts to make their payments have been unsuccessful. A handful of residents said their deposits weren't accepted, though others said the money was withdrawn from their accounts. The City of St. Thomas has issued property standards orders, which allows bylaw to enforce the Residential Tenancies Act. Tenants believe the next step will be the bank seizing the property and it going on sale again. Property records show West purchased in the building in 2022 and Nichols said she is among the few residents who have met him. She said he offered her a $20,000 buyout to move elsewhere, so he could renovate the property and raise rent, which she declined. West has branded himself on social media as a real estate builder and health enthusiast, and made several Instagram videos standing outside his properties, including in St. Thomas, where he'd give tips on flipping properties and using the "cash for keys" model to renovict tenants. He and 25 others are facing wire fraud charges in the U.S. for the alleged grandparent scam, and if West is convicted, he could spend 40 years in jail. West's London, Ont. property It's a similar situation for tenants over at his other rental on 308 Egerton Street in London. Residents at the apartment have banded together in efforts to fix their water heater but are told they might have to incur those costs out of pocket, which most people can't afford, said Cheyenne Lemieux, who has lived there since September. "We've been without hot water for about a-week-and-half now, our garbage hasn't been taken out in over a month. There's garbage everywhere, some of us have been keeping it in our units because we don't know what to do with it. We're drowning in it," said tenant Andrew Foster. "It's been a pretty rough situation, especially since I have two young kids." The tenants said they're frustrated because they've been forced to take on responsibilities they didn't sign up for. "We're just supposed to pay rent and that's why somebody moves into an apartment, so they don't have to deal with the other stuff with having a house but we're worrying about the garbage, grass and cleaning the building. It would be nice to worry about my own apartment and not all the other things that have come with it," said Knight. City officials in St. Thomas didn't respond to a request for comment in time for publication. The City of London said after failed attempts to contact the property owner to address the maintenance issues, it is now working with the mortgage company to resolve the matter.
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Sheriff reveals why they're convinced on-the-run killer dad Travis Decker is alive... and may be getting help
The sheriff's office hunting for Travis Decker, the Washington State father on the run after allegedly killing his three daughters, believes he is still alive and may be getting help. The 32-year-old fugitive allegedly strangled his three children - Paityn, nine, Evelyn, eight, and Olivia, five - and left their bodies near Rock Island Campground on June 2. As the search for Decker continues, Chelan County Sheriff Michael Morrison revealed authorities have been getting several leads on his whereabouts - perhaps hinting that Decker is still alive. 'Our primary focus has just remained on the investigation, but we are tracking down leads,' Morrison told News Nation, adding that all of the teams working to track Decker down have reinstated search and rescue operations and are following up on all information given to them. When asked if he believes the veteran is getting help, the sheriff said he wasn't 'quite sure,' but could have possibly 'staged some supplies beforehand.' Morrison went on to note that those who are 'sympathetic' towards Decker are not helping the investigation. 'There are some that may be sympathetic to his cause, which I think would be misguided. I mean, he's accused of murder, not just once but three times, and he is a danger,' he told the outlet. 'For those that might have sympathy towards him, please allow the opportunity for us to do our job. Set up that opportunity for him to be in front of our courts, and if he has different information he'd like to present and he thinks there's a way he could clear his name, let's go through the proper channels. 'As far as we can see he is still our suspect of interest, a subject we want to take into custody, and we want to set up that meeting where he can stand in front of our courts and speak his side of the story,' he added. Federal officials recently shared three new images of what the wanted man could now look like after being on the run for more than two weeks. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office created three updated pictures of the suspect, each depicting a different way he could have altered his features. Authorities also shared a message to Washington residents, stating the veteran is 'considered dangerous and may be armed.' 'Do not approach, call 911 immediately!' the wanted poster read. The manipulated images were made based on a photo of Decker posed in front of a landscape wearing a blue shirt and baseball cap, in which he has a beard, mustache and an earring. His hair is grown out to his neck. The first variation of his potential altered appearance showed Decker wearing no hat with a buzz cut and clean shaven facial hair. Another image showed Decker with a mustache and a buzzcut without a beard. In the third option, Decker has shoulder-length hair, no facial hair and is wearing a baseball cap. He has been missing since May 30, when he failed to return the three little girls back to their mother, Whitney, after a visit. Whitney, who is divorced from Decker, told police that he had picked the girls up around 5pm but had not returned them by 8pm, and his phone went straight to voicemail, court documents said. Detectives said she 'expressed concern because Decker reportedly has never done this before and … is currently experiencing some mental health issues.' She also told law enforcement officials that Decker was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and believes he did not take medication for the condition, according to court documents. On June 2, a search party led to the chilling discovery of the sisters' dead bodies near the Chelan County campsite along with Decker's truck. An autopsy revealed the girls died from suffocation and police reported their wrists were zip-tied when they were found, per court records. Police collected 'a large amount of evidence' from the truck, including male blood and non-human blood. The alleged killer's dog was found nearby as well and taken to an animal humane society, Fox 8 reported. Newly released audio revealed Decker pleaded for more custody time to go camping with his daughters just months before their lifeless bodies were found. In the audio, which is from a September 2024 custody hearing, Decker made an eerie promise that no harm would come to the girls if he's given more time to take them camping in Washington State's wilderness. His visitation time with the girls had earlier been reduced after his ex-wife raised concerns over his declining mental health, alleged endangerment, and lack of stability. She was given near-full custody while Decker was only allowed to visit every other weekend for a set number of hours. Frustrated with the lack of time with his daughters, Decker pleaded with a family court judge to restore access to the girls - claiming he'd never put them in danger. 'Every time I've had the girls, we have been in campsites and national forests and paid campsites that have campers,' he said in the audio. 'We've never done anything that was unsafe, or anything I wouldn't want to put myself in.' 'I understand that my current position when I'm by myself isn't ideal, but my daughters aren't a part of that,' Decker continued. 'I only get to see them over the weekends, and camping is something that the four of us have done since the three of them were in diapers.' He emphasized again that he's never put his daughters at risk - and brings them to camp sights that are 'sold out.' Decker is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
CNN
a day ago
- CNN
Some fugitives don't get very far, even with a good head start. What complicates their escape?
FacebookTweetLink Follow In the past several months, a number of high-profile manhunts that have captured national attention have ended when the fugitives, despite many hours or days on the run, were found close by. Vance Boelter, who is accused of shooting two state lawmakers and their spouses outside Minneapolis, was found in the woods about a mile from his family home in Green Isle, Minnesota, over the weekend. Last month, half of the 10 inmates who escaped a New Orleans jail were found in the city. And a former Arkansas police chief who escaped prison in May was found 1.5 miles from the facility he'd broken out of 10 days earlier. Meanwhile, Travis Decker, who is accused of killing his three daughters at a campsite about 100 miles east of Seattle, has been on the run for several weeks as law enforcement continues the search over two counties. While there are no formulas for avoiding law enforcement while on the run, factors such as ability to plan ahead of time, access to money and wilderness skills all play a role in how likely they will be able to evade capture, law enforcement experts told CNN. Here is how those factors, and some mistakes, play into the likelihood of escape: Many fugitives tend to stay in areas they know, be it for the people or knowledge of the area, said Donald Lane, who worked as a Secret Service agent and with the Department of Homeland Security for 20 years. 'They're much more comfortable in areas that they know well, geographically and socially, quite frankly, and so they tend to stay close,' he said, adding that many people want to be close to those who might help them evade law enforcement, such as family or friends. The downside to staying close is that's where investigators will look first for a fugitive, said Steve Prosser, a retired US marshal. In one prison escape case he worked on, Prosser said, the inmate didn't have any money or connections to help him. Law enforcement ultimately found him living in the janitor closet of the apartment building where he lived before his arrest. While Boelter wasn't found in a closet, he was found within close range of his house, where he left a car and there was a reported sighting of him on an e-bike. 'Sometimes these folks, they'll plan to take action and do something, but they don't think too much ahead about what they're going to do afterwards,' Lane said. It can be a challenge for fugitives to act quickly enough to get rid of identifying features as law enforcement starts putting up a perimeter, he said. But it also takes a lot of money to leave either the area or the country, said Prosser. 'You have to have a fake passport, which, unlike what you see on TV, is very difficult.' Even getting items that are harder to trace someone with, such as a different car, requires a good amount of money, he added. Another point that a fugitive must consider is how to get around when their name and face may be plastered on local and national news. There is a high likelihood law enforcement agencies will be on the lookout for their car, Lane said. If they get on an interstate, the chances law enforcement or a citizen sees or reports them is even higher, he said. Even trying to steal a car not associated with the fugitive could draw attention, according to Lane. 'A lot of times, they would have to (do) an additional crime to get further away, for instance like a carjacking,' he said. 'And they definitely don't want to do that, and they know they don't. Because if they do, then law enforcement not only would be all over that, but they would know that they're most likely the person that they're seeking.' It really depends on wilderness expertise and access to resources, experts say. 'If someone has knowledge of a wooded area – in other words, they live there, they may have hunted there, they know that area – they can live there for quite a long time, and those are some of the toughest people to locate,' Prosser said. But it really depends on how much preparation they have. While Boelter was found in the woods about a mile from his family home, it is likely his plan was set off course when police found him at state Sen. John Hoffman's home, leading him to retreat and change whatever plan he'd had, he said. Without the right preparation, though, living in the wilderness doesn't often work long-term as 'the situation is something completely and totally different,' Lane told CNN. 'Even if you have survival skills, you're not equipped in the long term to be self-sustaining without the help of other human beings,' he said, saying many people will ultimately need to resurface in society to get things they need. 'It's a great thought that you're going to be able to do it,' Lane said, 'but unless you're Ted Kaczynski and you have an actual dwelling that you can be in, you know that's not going to work out too well for most people.'
CNN
a day ago
- CNN
Some fugitives don't get very far, even with a good head start. What complicates their escape?
FacebookTweetLink Follow In the past several months, a number of high-profile manhunts that have captured national attention have ended when the fugitives, despite many hours or days on the run, were found close by. Vance Boelter, who is accused of shooting two state lawmakers and their spouses outside Minneapolis, was found in the woods about a mile from his family home in Green Isle, Minnesota, over the weekend. Last month, half of the 10 inmates who escaped a New Orleans jail were found in the city. And a former Arkansas police chief who escaped prison in May was found 1.5 miles from the facility he'd broken out of 10 days earlier. Meanwhile, Travis Decker, who is accused of killing his three daughters at a campsite about 100 miles east of Seattle, has been on the run for several weeks as law enforcement continues the search over two counties. While there are no formulas for avoiding law enforcement while on the run, factors such as ability to plan ahead of time, access to money and wilderness skills all play a role in how likely they will be able to evade capture, law enforcement experts told CNN. Here is how those factors, and some mistakes, play into the likelihood of escape: Many fugitives tend to stay in areas they know, be it for the people or knowledge of the area, said Donald Lane, who worked as a Secret Service agent and with the Department of Homeland Security for 20 years. 'They're much more comfortable in areas that they know well, geographically and socially, quite frankly, and so they tend to stay close,' he said, adding that many people want to be close to those who might help them evade law enforcement, such as family or friends. The downside to staying close is that's where investigators will look first for a fugitive, said Steve Prosser, a retired US marshal. In one prison escape case he worked on, Prosser said, the inmate didn't have any money or connections to help him. Law enforcement ultimately found him living in the janitor closet of the apartment building where he lived before his arrest. While Boelter wasn't found in a closet, he was found within close range of his house, where he left a car and there was a reported sighting of him on an e-bike. 'Sometimes these folks, they'll plan to take action and do something, but they don't think too much ahead about what they're going to do afterwards,' Lane said. It can be a challenge for fugitives to act quickly enough to get rid of identifying features as law enforcement starts putting up a perimeter, he said. But it also takes a lot of money to leave either the area or the country, said Prosser. 'You have to have a fake passport, which, unlike what you see on TV, is very difficult.' Even getting items that are harder to trace someone with, such as a different car, requires a good amount of money, he added. Another point that a fugitive must consider is how to get around when their name and face may be plastered on local and national news. There is a high likelihood law enforcement agencies will be on the lookout for their car, Lane said. If they get on an interstate, the chances law enforcement or a citizen sees or reports them is even higher, he said. Even trying to steal a car not associated with the fugitive could draw attention, according to Lane. 'A lot of times, they would have to (do) an additional crime to get further away, for instance like a carjacking,' he said. 'And they definitely don't want to do that, and they know they don't. Because if they do, then law enforcement not only would be all over that, but they would know that they're most likely the person that they're seeking.' It really depends on wilderness expertise and access to resources, experts say. 'If someone has knowledge of a wooded area – in other words, they live there, they may have hunted there, they know that area – they can live there for quite a long time, and those are some of the toughest people to locate,' Prosser said. But it really depends on how much preparation they have. While Boelter was found in the woods about a mile from his family home, it is likely his plan was set off course when police found him at state Sen. John Hoffman's home, leading him to retreat and change whatever plan he'd had, he said. Without the right preparation, though, living in the wilderness doesn't often work long-term as 'the situation is something completely and totally different,' Lane told CNN. 'Even if you have survival skills, you're not equipped in the long term to be self-sustaining without the help of other human beings,' he said, saying many people will ultimately need to resurface in society to get things they need. 'It's a great thought that you're going to be able to do it,' Lane said, 'but unless you're Ted Kaczynski and you have an actual dwelling that you can be in, you know that's not going to work out too well for most people.'
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
New Travis Decker images released as police continue search for wanted killer dad-of-three
Chilling new images of accused killer dad Travis Decker have been released - as cops believe he may have changed his appearance. The 32-year-old fugitive, who allegedly strangled his three young daughters and left their bodies near Rock Island Campground in Washington, has been on the run for more than two weeks. Federal officials are ramping up their search for Decker, sharing three new images of what the wanted man could now look like. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office created three updated pictures of the suspect, each depicting a different way he could have altered his features. Authorities also shared a message to Washington residents, stating the veteran is 'considered dangerous and may be armed.' 'Do not approach, call 911 immediately!' the wanted poster reads. The manipulated images were made based on a photo of Decker posed in front of a landscape wearing a blue shirt and baseball cap, in which he has a beard, mustache and an earring. His hair is grown out to his neck. The first variation of his potential altered appearance shows Decker wearing no hat with a buzz cut and clean shaven facial hair. Another image shows Decker with a mustache and a buzzcut without a beard. In the third option, Decker has shoulder-length hair, no facial hair and is wearing a baseball cap. Police believe Decker, who was last seen wearing a tan or green t-shirt with dark shorts, murdered his daughters Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5. He has been missing since May 30, when he failed to return the three little girls back to their mother, Whitney, after a visit. Whitney, who is divorced from the veteran, told police that he had picked the girls up around 5pm but had not returned them by 8pm, and his phone went straight to voicemail, court documents said. Detectives said she 'expressed concern because Decker reportedly has never done this before and … is currently experiencing some mental health issues.' She also told law enforcement officials that Decker was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and believes he did not take medication for the condition, according to court documents. On June 2, a search party led to the chilling discovery of the sisters' dead bodies near the Chelan County campsite along with Decker's truck. Deputies found the girls' bodies about 75 to 100 yards from Decker's truck. An autopsy revealed the girls died from suffocation and police reported their wrists were zip-tied when they were found, court documents said Police collected 'a large amount of evidence' from the truck, including male blood and non-human blood. The alleged-killer's dog was found nearby as well and taken to an animal humane society, Fox 8 reported. The discovery of the children's corpses kicked off the massive search for Decker. State and federal authorities believe they may have spotted him hiking in a mountainous area. On June 10, a helicopter crew saw someone running off a trail near Colchuck Lake. Police speculate it was Decker. The lake is roughly 12 miles from the campground the girls were left near. Chilling audio from just months before the harrowing murders captured the fugitive father begging for more custody time to go camping with his daughters. In the recording from a September 2024 custody hearing, Decker makes an eerie promise that no harm would come to the girls if he's given more time to take them camping in Washington State's wilderness. With an extensive combat background, authorities and locals are concerned about Decker still being on the loose. He joined the Army in 2013. He served in Afghanistan before transferring to the Washington National Guard in 2021, Karina Shagren, communications director for the Washington Military Department, confirmed to the Daily Mail. He was a full-time member of the Guard until 2023 or 2024, when he switched to part-time. Decker stopped attending mandatory monthly drills a little over a year ago, and the Guard was in the process of a disciplinary discharge. He likely has advanced combat training and was an airborne paratrooper who earned the elite rank of 'Ranger,' indicating he would have excellent wilderness and survival skills, Fox 13 Seattle reported, citing social media posts. Decker is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
