U.S. Marshals '15 Most Wanted' Fugitive Found in Island Paradise

Alleged murder suspect J’Wa Charlery hiding in remote area of British Virgin Islands

Washington – An island paradise proved to be the final destination for 15 Most Wanted fugitive J’Wa Charlery when the Royal Virgin Island Police Force (RVIPF) located and arrested him Thursday at approximately 6 a.m. in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

J’Wa Charlery (Captured)“The capture of this dangerous individual should send a strong message to criminals here in the United States that you will not be successful crossing global boundaries to avoid prosecution,” said U.S. Marshals Service Director Stacia Hylton. “We worked tirelessly with our international and domestic law enforcement partners to ensure Charlery faced justice. I want to commend the dedicated men and women who spent countless hours investigating this case and tracking down leads, which ultimately lead to this successful arrest.”

Charlery is wanted by the Richmond (Virginia) Police Department for allegedly murdering Eboniece Escobar on Nov. 2, 2014, in a Richmond hotel. The following day, the U.S. Marshals joined the fugitive investigation for Charlery at the request of local authorities; they added him to the 15 Most Wanted list on July 2, 2015.

The fugitive investigation gained momentum when the U.S. Marshals and the Richmond Police Department developed information that Charlery fled to the British Virgin Islands. With credible investigative leads from law enforcement partners, RVIPF converged on a remote location on the island of Tortola, and found Charley standing outside of a tent, where they took him into custody without incident. A subsequent search of Charley’s hideout yielded a large amount of cash and two loaded handguns.

“The arrest of J’Wa Charlery is a testament to the strength of our cooperative law enforcement relationships both here and abroad,” said Robert Mathieson, U.S. Marshal of the Eastern District of Virginia. “In regard to his capture, our combined efforts in this case proved that it was not a matter of if but when. Time was always on our side.”

Charlery is currently being held by RVIPF authorities in Tortola.