FUGITIVE WANTED FOR MURDER IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY ADDED TO THE FBI’S LIST OF “TEN MOST WANTED FUGITIVES”
REWARD OF UP TO $100,000 OFFERED
FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Newark Field Office, Gregory W. Ehrie, today announced the addition of a suspect wanted for murder in Newark, New Jersey, to the FBI’s list of “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives”. Fugitive Lamont Stephenson marks the 521st addition to the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list. Stephenson is being sought for his alleged involvement in the murder of a woman and her dog on October 17, 2014. He should be considered armed and dangerous.
On October 17, 2014, at approximately 5:37PM, officers from the Newark Police Department were dispatched to 65 North Hawthorne Lane after family members found the victim, Olga Dejesus, unresponsive in the bed and the victim’s dog unresponsive in the residence as well. Officers arrived at the location and did not see any signs of forced entry into the apartment. EMS units arrived at the scene where the victim was pronounced dead and she was transported to University Hospital. The cause of death for Olga Dejesus as well as the dog was found to be asphyxiation by the alleged suspect, Lamont Stephenson.
On November 3, 2014, Lamont Stephenson was charged with homicide by the State of New Jersey in Essex County, New Jersey.
On September 8, 2017, a federal arrest warrant was issued by the United States District Court of New Jersey charging Stephenson with Homicide and he is believed to have fled the jurisdiction to avoid prosecution. He has not been seen in New Jersey since around the time of the murder. He has ties in North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina. Stephenson is a United States Citizen and has no overseas connection.
“Stephenson has been charged with a violent murder which took a woman from her family,” said Gregory W. Ehrie, Special Agent in Charge, of the FBI’s Newark Field Office. “We are pleased to see him added to the FBI’s list of “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives,” and we urge anyone with information related to this horrific crime to come forward. We will not rest until Lamont Stephenson is located, captured, and brought to justice.”
“We wholeheartedly agree with the FBI’s decision to place this dangerous suspect on its Ten Most Wanted List,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. “Fleeing to avoid prosecution is a serious matter, especially when the underlying allegation is murder. We hope this elevates his profile and puts law enforcement and the public on notice to be alert for him, not just in New Jersey, but across the country. Hopefully this will result in his being brought to justice quickly.”
“Over the past four years our office has worked tirelessly to find and apprehend Lamont Stephenson, following numerous leads both in New Jersey and beyond. Sadly, those efforts have not resulted in an arrest. Placing this defendant on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List, we believe, will significantly increase the likelihood of finding him. Our goal, from the beginning, has been to apprehend him and bring him to court in Essex County where he can face the bar of justice for the murder of Olga DeJesus,” said Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II.
Stephenson is further described as follows:
Name: LAMONT STEPHENSON
Sex: Male
Race: Black
DOB: April 3, 1975
Height: 5’6” to 5’7”
Weight: 220 pounds
Place of Birth: New Jersey
Lamont Stephenson replaces Antwan Mims on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list.
The FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list was established in March of 1950. Since then, 486 fugitives have been apprehended or located; 162 of them as a result of citizen cooperation. Since its inception, there have been 11 fugitives wanted from FBI Newark placed on the list. In addition, 5 fugitives that have been placed on the list were arrested in the Newark FBI area of responsibility.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of Lamont Stephenson. Anyone with information concerning Lamont Stephenson should take no action themselves, but should immediately contact the nearest FBI office or local law enforcement agency.
Please call in tips to 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Tips can also be submitted online at https://tips.fbi.gov/. Individuals calling from outside of the United States should contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Additional information concerning Stephenson, including his wanted poster and the FBI’s list of “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives”, can be found by visiting the FBI’s website at https://www.fbi.gov.
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