Lester Eubanks: The 50-Year Fugitive on Death Row

The Crime and Conviction

• 💔 On November 14th, 1965, 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deener was murdered and attempted to be raped by Lester Eubanks.
• 🔫 Eubanks shot Mary Ellen twice and then, after she was still breathing, beat her to death with a brick.
• ⚖️ Eubanks was sentenced to death for the crime, but his sentence was later commuted to life in prison.

Eubanks's Criminal History and Early Life

• 👶 Lester Eubanks had a criminal record dating back to his teenage years, including charges of assault and attempted rape.
• ✈️ As an adult, he served as an Air Force medic, earned a black belt in karate, and enjoyed oil painting.
• ⛪ He was also described as an avid churchgoer and worked in shipping and receiving.

The Escape and Subsequent Fugitive Status

• 🚶‍♂️ After his death sentence was commuted, Eubanks charmed his way into a prison honor program.
• 🛍️ In December 1973, he was allowed to go on an unsupervised Christmas shopping trip to a mall and never returned.
• 🗺️ Eubanks has been on the run for over 50 years and is currently on the U.S. Marshals' Most Wanted list.

Investigation and Current Status

• 🕵️‍♂️ Investigators have actively searched for Eubanks since the 1990s, with segments on "America's Most Wanted" and increased reward money.
• 🔍 Authorities believe he may have lived in the Los Angeles area under the alias Victor Young.
• 🧬 In 2019, the US Marshals sought approval to compare his biological son's DNA against unsolved crime scenes.
• ⏳ As of 2021, authorities believe he may have never left the greater LA area, and new DNA evidence was extracted in 2025.

The Impact on the Victim's Family

• 💔 Mary Ellen's mother and sister both suffered health issues and trauma following the murder and Eubanks's escape.
• ❓ The family was left with the fear that Eubanks might return and the pain of him not paying for his crime.