Lamont Stephenson, 43, who is wanted for murdering his fiancée and her dog, is on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, and a reward of up to $100,000 is being offered for information leading to his capture.
Stephenson is charged with the strangulation death of Olga DeJesus, in her Newark apartment in October 2014.
He also killed the woman’s dog before calling a cab to take him to Newark’s Penn Station, where investigators believe he fled the state by bus or train.
The 40-year-old victim and Stephenson had apparently known each other as teenagers and met again in 2014 at a high school reunion.
“They had a whirlwind romance and were engaged to be married,” explained Special Agent Carl Priddy, who is investigating the case from the FBI’s Newark Division.
(A New Jersey man wanted for murdering his fiancée and her dog has been added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, and a reward of up to $100,000 is available for information leading to his arrest. Courtesy of the FBI and YouTube. Posted on Oct 12, 2018.)
Since the day of the murder, October 17, 2014, Stephenson “has been completely off the radar,” Priddy said.
“Compared to a lot of other subjects we go after, Stephenson has been difficult to find because he had no criminal history.”
“Apart from his picture, law enforcement does not have even a set of fingerprints to help identify him.”
The investigation has, however, provided clues to where Stephenson might be hiding, and a possible motive for the murder.
The fugitive has close family members in Virginia and the Carolinas and has spent time in those places in the past.
“He could have assumed a different identity,” Priddy said.
“Nobody in Virginia or the Carolinas would have reason to believe he is wanted for a brutal murder.”
Being named to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list means that the Stephenson case will get nationwide publicity and increases the odds that individuals outside of Newark will recognize him and come forward.
“The $100,000 reward is also a strong incentive for people to help us apprehend him,” Priddy said.
Regarding a possible motive for the murder, friends and family of the victim told investigators that Stephenson was very possessive and controlling of her.
“They had a fairly short courtship before they were engaged and he moved in with her,” Priddy said.
“People close to the victim said they were surprised by how quickly it happened.”
“To strangle someone to death is an act of rage,” noted Christopher Smith, a detective in Essex County, the New Jersey jurisdiction that charged Stephenson with homicide.
“God forbid he is living with another woman and he’s that possessive. He could do this to someone else.”
“There is no doubt that Stephenson is a threat to the community and should be considered extremely dangerous,” Priddy said, adding that surveillance video at Newark’s Penn Station recorded shortly after the murder showed Stephenson to be acting calmly and with no outward signs of anxiety.
“He wasn’t in a panic at all,” Priddy said of the video images.
“For him to be calm and collected after he had just strangled his fiancée shows a certain coldness and calculation.”
“He is definitely capable of doing this again.”
If you have information regarding Lamont Stephenson or his whereabouts, please contact your local FBI office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at https://tips.fbi.gov/.
FBI Honored in the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
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‘Excellence in Homeland Security’
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Violent Crimes against Children (VCAC) program
(FBI Special Agent Danielle Messineo, who works in the Crimes Against Children division, tries to prevent future victims by giving presentations to school children. Courtesy of the USA Network and YouTube.)
Additionally recognized in the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Program, Thomas O’Connor, FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) President.
Thomas O’Connor
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‘Excellence in Homeland Security’
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President of the FBI Agents Association
(Hear from FBI Agents Association President Tom O’Connor directly, as discusses how the partial government shutdown was affecting the operations of the FBI. Courtesy of Fox Business News and YouTube. Posted on Jan 24, 2019.)
The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is specifically designed to honor distinguished government and vendor solutions that deliver enhanced value, benefit and intelligence to end users in a variety of government, homeland security and public safety vertical markets.
The 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program drew an overwhelming response from industry leaders with a record high number of corporate and government nominations received, as well as record breaking ‘ASTORS’ Presentation Luncheon Attendees, with top firms trying to register for the exclusive high – end luncheon and networking opportunity – right up to the event kickoff on Wednesday afternoon, at the ISC East registration!
Over 130 distinguished guests representing National, State and Local Governments, and Industry Leading Corporate Firms, gathered from across North America, Europe and the Middle East to be honored among their peers in their respective fields which included:
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The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program highlighting the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking security solutions coming onto the market today, to ensure our readers have the information they need to stay ahead of the competition, and keep our Nation safe – one facility, street, and city at a time.
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Why American Security Today?
American Security Today is uniquely focused on the broader Homeland Security & Public Safety marketplace with over 70,000 readers at the Federal, State and local levels of government as well as firms allied to government.
The old traditional security marketplace has been covered by a host of security publications that have changed little over many years.
American Security Today brings forward a fresh compelling look and read with our customized digital publications that provides our readers with solutions to their challenges.
Our Editorial staff provides a full plate of topics for our AST monthly digital editions, AST Website and AST Daily News Alerts.
The editorial calendar and AST’s high drawing website features 23 different Technology and Marketing Sectors such as Access Control, Perimeter Protection, Video Surveillance/Analytics, Airport Security, Border Security, CBRNE Detection, Border Security, Ports, Cybersecurity, Networking Security, Encryption, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Campus Security, Security Services, Corporate Facilities and Emergency Response among others.
These sectors are part of the new integration, where these major applications communicate with one another in a variety of solutions to protect our cities and critical infrastructure.
AST has Expanded readership into vital Critical Infrastructure audiences such as Protection of Nuclear Facilities, Water Plants & Dams, Bridges & Tunnels, and other Potential targets of terrorism.
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