Crime & Safety

Wanted: JoAnne Chesimard

She is wanted for the 1973 murder of a New Jersey State Police Officer.

New Jersey State Police are offering $2 million for information leading to the capture of JoAnne Chesimard, 66, an escaped felon convicted for the murder of a state police officer.

Chesimard was serving a life sentence, plus 26 to 33 years in prison for the murder of a state trooper 41 years ago. She was convicted in 1977 and escaped two years later.

She is classified as a domestic terrorist, the first woman on the FBI’s Most Wanted List. She is considered armed and dangerous, and also goes by the following aliases: Barbara Odoms, Mary Davis, Justine Henderson, Joanne Byron, Josephine Henderson, Assata Shakur and Joanne Chesterman.

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She is described as a black woman with a medium complexion, 5-foot-6, between 125 and 138 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. She has a round scar on her left knee and bullet wounds under her left arm and right shoulder.

As of 2013, she was living in Cuba.

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Police advise residents not to apprehend any fugitive on the most wanted list. Any information should be reported to State Police at 1-800-437-7839 or by email at fugitive@gw.njsp.org.

The tip hotline is available 24 hours and all information is held strictly confidential.



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