Donald Eugene Webb - Investigation

Investigation

A .25-caliber Colt pistol, O-type blood (similar blood type of Webb) and a New Jersey driver's license bearing an alias used by Webb, Stanley John Portas, a name of Webb's wife's deceased husband, were among the evidence found at the murder scene. Webb has been believed to been in Saxonburg for a planned burglary of a jewelry store. Adams' revolver was later found approximately seven miles away along Cornplanter Road in Winfield, Pennsylvania. All six bullets of the weapon had been fired.

A white Mercury Cougar which Webb rented, was allegedly used as a getaway car. It was subsequently found abandoned at Howard Johnson's motel in Warwick, Rhode Island on December 21. Significant amounts of O-type blood were found under a steering wheel, indicating that Webb was shot in the leg, possibly by Adams.

As Webb was named as a main suspect of the case, a nationwide manhunt began. He was charged with murder, attempted burglary and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Federal arrest warrant was issued for him on December 31. On May 4, 1981, Webb was named as the 375th fugitive to be placed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list.

Webb has strong ties to Fall River and New Bedford, where the last confirmed sighting of him was made by an anonymous tipster in July 1981. He was reported to the Boston FBI office, but had fled by the time investigators arrived. Since then, there have been unconfirmed sightings of Webb or men resembling him in Massachusetts, Washington, Canada and Costa Rica.

In January 1990, FBI director William S. Sessions received a letter postmarked on January 23. It was written by someone claiming to be Webb, asking for forgiveness from Adams' family. The letter contained indications of a possible surrender to authorities, but only if he could talk directly and alone to John Walsh, host of TV show America's Most Wanted. Walsh stated in America's Most Wanted that FBI's evidence technicians examined the letter and believed it was authentic. Handwriting tests were conducted, and the results were inconclusive. On April 1, 1990, a man claiming to be Webb did make a direct phone call to John Walsh, but was unable to name two of Webb's closest relatives. The call was dismissed as an April Fools' joke. The murder case was also featured in an episode of Unsolved Mysteries.

After over eighteen years on the list, Webb became the fugitive with the longest tenure on the FBI Ten Most Wanted list on September 14, 1999, surpassing previous record held by Charles Lee Herron.

In April 2005, an unidentified man in Detroit was using Webb's name, age and social security number. Detroit police trailed the address to a burned-out house in a poor section of town. Authorities consider this a case of identity theft, although a very unusual one.

Having been on the Ten Most Wanted list for 25 years, 10 months, and 27 days, Webb was removed from the list on March 31, 2007, replaced by Shauntay Henderson. He was on the list longer than any other fugitive before Víctor Manuel Gerena, who surpassed his record in 2010. Although Webb is still a fugitive who is considered armed and dangerous by the FBI, significant lack of leads has made some investigators believe Webb is deceased.