A fugitive wanted in the 1993 murder of a Detroit man was caught in Panama and returned to the United States, officials said.
Richard Werstine will be turned over to authorities in Wayne County, the U.S. Marshals Service said.
"The tenacity and commitment of the U.S. Marshals Service working to bring Werstine and those like him into police custody where they belong is at the forefront of our daily mission here in Detroit," Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Jimmy Allen said in a statement. "His arrest not only works toward bringing closure to the friends and family who have lost a loved one but also demonstrates our promise to pursue those who think they can prey on the members of our communities without being held accountable."
How officials identified him
Police in Panama City, Panama, arrested Werstine at a dog park on April 29, according to the Marshals Service.
Officers said they found fake identification on him, but determined his true identity after analyzing the 56-year-old's fingerprints. He later confessed to his true identity and being a fugitive. Werstine also told Panamanian investigators he had illegally entered the country in 2005.
U.S. Marshals retrieved Werstine from Panama on Saturday with the help of the Diplomatic Security Service and Homeland Security Investigations agents.
The crime and the investigation
Officials said Werstine was wanted in the Sept. 15, 1993, murder of his roommate, Rodney Barger, 23, in Detroit. Police arrested Werstine days after the crime, but he failed to appear for his trial, according to investigators.
A judge issued an arrest warrant for Werstine in June 1994, according to authorities.
The U.S. Marshals Service Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team took over the search for the fugitive in May 2022. The agency's investigation revealed Werstine had been arrested multiple times over the years under different aliases, including Joseph Alan Stavros, but law enforcement never knew his true identity, officials said.
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They said investigators developed leads over the past year that indicated Werstine was in Panama. Marshals in Detroit worked with the service’s Office of International Operations and Panamanian authorities to find and arrest him.
"The U.S. Marshals Service takes crimes of this nature extremely seriously, given the violent nature of the alleged offense and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution," Owen Cypher, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Michigan, said in a statement. "The dedication of all members of my staff who spearheaded the arrest of this fugitive who has been on the run for over 30 years, is a testimony to their resolve. It sends a message to fugitives that there is no place you can hide that the U.S. Marshals Service won’t find you and bring you to justice."
Werstine is among the fugitives wanted for crimes committed in Michigan and arrested by U.S. Marshals.
Last week,a former Michigan manconvicted of sexually assaulting a teen girl nearly a decade ago was sentenced. Marshals extradited him from Kentucky.
Last month,a Dallas manwas ordered to stand trial for the alleged sexual abuse of an Oceana County child in the 2000s after marshals caught him.
Also in April,a Georgia manconvicted of sexually assaulting a Hillsdale County child in 2008 was sentenced to 35-45 years in prison after marshals returned him to Michigan.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
@CharlesERamirez
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News:Detroit fugitive wanted for murder captured after 32 years