Donald Richard Bussmeyer

Donald Richard Bussmeyer (born August 16, 1936) is an American criminal who was a member of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list in 1967.^[1]

Donald Richard Bussmeyer
FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive
Charges	Bank robbery
Description
Born	(1936-08-16) August 16, 1936 (age 88) St. Louis, Missouri
Status
Added	June 28, 1967
Caught	August 24, 1967
Number	251
Captured

Life as a criminal

Bussmeyer was a career criminal with prior convictions for auto theft, attempted burglary, assault with intent to kill and armed robbery.^{[citation needed]}

On March 2, 1967, he and two accomplices, James Alaway and Russell Jones, robbed $75,000 from a Los Angeles bank, which made him a federal fugitive.^{[2][failed verification]}

Arrest

Alaway was arrested on March 9 and later sentenced to 17 years imprisonment. Jones was arrested on March 10 and later sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.^{[citation needed]}

Bussmeyer was able to evade authorities and, after being indicted on federal bank robbery charges in April, he was officially added as the 251st fugitive to the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list on June 28, 1967.^[3]

Due to large media coverage and publicity,^{[4][failed verification]} Bussmeyer was traced to a safehouse in Upland, California^[5] within two months. On August 24 Bussmeyer was arrested at the safehouse along with his wife Hallie and associate Gene Harrington.^{[citation needed]} Although two pistols were found in the house, Bussmeyer offered no resistance.^{[citation needed]} His identity was confirmed by a tattoo reading "Don Bussmeyer Loves Joyce" on his chest.^[2]

Hallie Bussmeyer and Harrington was held in federal custody for harboring a federal fugitive, while Bussmeyer, held under a $200,000 bond, would eventually be tried and convicted of the Los Angeles bank robbery.^{[citation needed]} Bussmeyer was released from prison on December 29, 1994.^[6]