Wanted by the FBI: New Top Ten Fugitive Robert Francis Van Wisse


December 13, 2016

A man who allegedly strangled and sexually assaulted a young mother is added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.


Audio Transcript

Update - January 26, 2017: FBI Top Ten Fugitive Robert Van Wisse is now in custody. Details

Mollie Halpern: A man who allegedly strangled and sexually assaulted a young mother is added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.

A reward of up to $100,000 is available for information leading directly to the arrest of Robert Francis Van Wisse.

About 33 years ago, then 19-year-old Van Wisse registered for college classes in an Austin, Texas building.

That’s where case agent Justin Noble says Van Wisse attacked the victim, Laurie Stout.

Justin Noble: Latent print evidence and DNA evidence collected from the victim and from the crime scene conclusively link Robert Van Wisse to this crime.

Halpern: Beverly is the victim’s sister. The two were born only 14 months apart.

Beverly: I think about her every day. The pain, to me, is just as real today as it was that morning of September 1983.

Halpern: Van Wisse speaks English and Spanish. He has been linked to New York City; Washington, D.C.; Mexico; and South America. Report tips to 1-800-CALL-FBI. With Wanted by the FBI, I'm Mollie Halpern of the Bureau. 

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