More than 100 of Nashville’s ‘Most Wanted’ fugitives arrested since 2022

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Often times, people wanted for violent crimes such as rape and murder go into “deep hiding,” which Metro Nashville detectives said can make tracking them down “exceptionally difficult.”

“I know from my experience working in investigations, you can literally have a year or more investigation into just finding some of these wanted persons,” said Capt. Billy Morris, who oversees the Metro Nashville Police Department’s Criminal Warrants Division, told News 2.

However, over the last year and a half, finding some of the “most violent” criminals wanted out of Nashville has become a bit easier thanks to the help of the community and other law enforcement agencies who have seen them on Nashville’s “Top 10 Most Wanted” list.

Nashville’s ‘Top 10 Most Wanted’ fugitives: Week of April 17, 2024

Since the program was launched on Oct. 19, 2022, a total of 106 wanted fugitives who have appeared on the list have been arrested. There have been 135 people listed between then and April 17, 2024, meaning a little over 78% have been taken into custody.

Many of those arrests can be chalked up to tips from the public, with detectives estimating that at least 90% of the tips they’ve received have led to an arrest. In one case, police tracked down a man they had been looking for since 2021 after his landlord recognized him on the news.

“We know that the community is looking at our Facebook page and looking at the local media’s websites to see who these individuals are, and we feel like it has been a tremendous success,” Morris said in an interview nine months into the program.

Each week when the Criminal Warrants Division puts out a new list of the “Top 10 Most Wanted” fugitives, metrics show those posts are getting hundreds of thousands of views. According to Morris, detectives consider the severity of the crime when choosing who to feature.

PREVIOUS: Over 70 of Nashville’s ‘Most Wanted’ fugitives arrested within one year

The majority of suspects are accused of offenses such as murder, aggravated assault, robbery, burglary, sex crimes and crimes against children. Often, more than half of the suspects are wanted for either murder or homicide.

Many cases are also those in which detectives have hit a “dead end” after years of searching for a suspect. Some of the same suspects have appeared on the list week after week because Morris said police “want to focus on trying to get those individuals.”

Among a high yearly number of arrests, the success of the program can also be seen in the last three months as authorities have made more than a dozen arrests since February — two of which were some of the longest standing suspects on the list.

Anthony Dewayne Spicer Jr. was one of the first people to appear on the “Most Wanted” list in October 2022. He was taken into custody on Thursday, April 18 outside of Davidson County for allegedly raping and sexually abusing a child between Sept. 22, 2020, and Jan. 8, 2021.

Nashville’s ‘Most Wanted’ child rape suspect arrested after 2-year manhunt

According to police, 19 other “Most Wanted” fugitives have been arrested in other counties or in another state. Nolensville Police recently assisted Metro Nashville detectives in apprehending a former drama teacher who was also accused of sexually abusing a child.

Officials said Gary Schleimer was employed by Metro Nashville Public Schools for nearly six years before being terminated in 2022. After he was fired, a middle schooler told a parent that Schleimer had grabbed her chest from behind while they were alone in a classroom together.

He was arrested in Williamson County hours after appearing on the list. The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force has also assisted police in some cases, with two fugitives wanted for vehicular homicide taken into custody in Kentucky last year.

In a more unexpected effect, the “Most Wanted” list has also prompted a handful of suspects to turn themselves in to authorities. An 18-year-old who was indicted on charges related to a shooting and subsequent police chase turned himself in only two weeks after being featured on the list in late February.

Former Nashville theater teacher arrested for ‘unlawful sexual contact’ with a child

In total, detectives said 11 wanted fugitives have surrendered themselves to the Criminal Warrants Division since the “Most Wanted” list was launched in Oct. 2022.

The program arose out of a need to “seek a safe and efficient way in apprehending wanted persons,” according to police. While some police precincts had their own “Most Wanted” lists prior to Oct. 2022, Morris said it was the first time there had been a city-wide program.

“A key component to community policing is information sharing and partnering with the community to resolve issues; and at the inception of this, I believed this was something that would be important for the safety of our community,” Morris said.

With now close to 80% of the city’s “Most Wanted” fugitives set to face their charges, the search for the remaining 20% is ongoing. People can view the most recent list of wanted fugitives on the Criminal Warrants Division’s Facebook page or News 2’s website.

CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime news from Middle Tennessee

Police ask anyone who recognizes someone on the list to contact the MNPD at 615-862-8600 or Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. Tips regarding wanted fugitives can also be submitted through hubNashville. All tipsters can remain anonymous.

“The largest amount of success to this program is the public’s input and the public sharing of information; and the media getting this message out there has helped us take literally the worst of the worst criminals off the streets of Nashville,” Morris said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.