Glen Stewart Godwin
Encyclopedia
Glen Stewart Godwin is an American fugitive
and convicted murderer who was added to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
's Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives
list on December 7, 1996, nine years after he escaped
from Folsom State Prison
in Folsom, California
where he was serving a 26-years-to-life sentence. He replaced O'Neil Vassell on the list.
, working as a self-employed tool salesman, a mechanic, and a construction worker, with no discernible criminal history. Godwin and his roommate, Frank Soto, Jr., planned to rob a drug dealer and pilot, Kim Robert LeValley, who was once a friend of theirs. Godwin and Soto lured LeValley back to their condominium
where Soto held him, Godwin punched and kicked him, tried to strangle him, then ultimately stabbed LeValley thirty-six times with his butcher knife
. After the murder, Godwin and Soto loaded the body into a truck and set off for the desert. Godwin tried to blow up the evidence by using homemade explosives strapped to the body. The explosion was intended to disguise the murder
of LeValley. On August 3, 1980, some Eagle Mountain
residents found a blown-up pickup truck with remains of a human body inside of it abandoned in the desert. Later, police identified the body and charged Godwin with first-degree murder. Although Soto testified against Godwin, Soto was sentenced to twenty-five years to life in prison for the murder in 1982. Godwin was sentenced for the murder and robbery to 26 years to life in prison in 1983.
, a maximum-security prison. Authorities believe Godwin's wife Shelly Rose Godwin and his former cellmate in Deuel, Lorenz Karlic, helped to plan his escape.
A hacksaw
and other tools had been smuggled into the prison for Godwin. On June 5, 1987, he cut a hole through fence wire and escaped into a storm drain
that emptied into the American River
. Godwin dropped through a manhole and crawled 750 feet through the pitch-black drain. Either Godwin's wife or Karlic, an accomplice, had left a raft
that Godwin used to float down the river, following painted arrows on rocks that directed him where to go.
In June 1987, Karlic was arrested in Hesperia, California
, and convicted for aiding Godwin's escape.
In January 1988, Shelly Godwin was classified as a federal fugitive for her role in her husband's escape. She was captured by the FBI in Dallas, Texas
, on February 7, 1990.
. He was arrested in Puerto Vallarta
, later convicted for drug trafficking in Guadalajara, Mexico, and sentenced to seven years and six months in Puente Grande prison in 1991. While American authorities were working on Godwin's extradition
proceedings, he allegedly killed a member of a Mexican drug cartel in prison. The new murder allegation delayed his extradition, which gave Godwin more time to execute another escape, which occurred in September 1991.
He was reportedly seen once in California in 1997, but managed to elude the FBI, which had placed him on its Most Wanted List of fugitives the year before.
Godwin is currently believed to be involved in the illicit drug trade somewhere in Latin America, having possibly used aliases such as Dennis Harold McWilliams, Nigel Lopez and Miguel Carrera. He is considered to be armed and extremely dangerous, and an obvious flight risk. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to Godwin's capture.
Fugitive
A fugitive is a person who is fleeing from custody, whether it be from private slavery, a government arrest, government or non-government questioning, vigilante violence, or outraged private individuals...
and convicted murderer who was added to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
's Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives
FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives
The FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list arose from a conversation held in late 1949 between J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, and William Kinsey Hutchinson, International News Service Editor-in-Chief, who were discussing ways to promote capture of the...
list on December 7, 1996, nine years after he escaped
Prison escape
A prison escape or prison break is the act of an inmate leaving prison through unofficial or illegal ways. Normally, when this occurs, an effort is made on the part of authorities to recapture them and return them to their original detainers...
from Folsom State Prison
Folsom State Prison
Folsom State Prison is a California State Prison located in the city of Folsom, California, northeast from the state capital of Sacramento. Opened in 1880, Folsom is the second-oldest prison in the state of California after San Quentin and was the first in the country to have electricity...
in Folsom, California
Folsom, California
Folsom is a city in Sacramento County, California, United States. Folsom is most commonly known for its famous Folsom Prison. The population was 72,203 at the 2010 census....
where he was serving a 26-years-to-life sentence. He replaced O'Neil Vassell on the list.
Murder of Kim LeValley
In 1980, Godwin was living in Palm Springs, CaliforniaPalm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
, working as a self-employed tool salesman, a mechanic, and a construction worker, with no discernible criminal history. Godwin and his roommate, Frank Soto, Jr., planned to rob a drug dealer and pilot, Kim Robert LeValley, who was once a friend of theirs. Godwin and Soto lured LeValley back to their condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
where Soto held him, Godwin punched and kicked him, tried to strangle him, then ultimately stabbed LeValley thirty-six times with his butcher knife
Butcher knife
A butcher knife is a knife designed and used primarily for the butchering and/or dressing of animals.During the late 18th century to mid 1840s, the butcher knife was a key tool for mountain men. Simple, useful and cheap to produce, they were used for everything from skinning beaver, cutting food,...
. After the murder, Godwin and Soto loaded the body into a truck and set off for the desert. Godwin tried to blow up the evidence by using homemade explosives strapped to the body. The explosion was intended to disguise the murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
of LeValley. On August 3, 1980, some Eagle Mountain
Eagle Mountain
-Summits:Canada*Eagle Mountain, British Columbia near CoquitlamUnited Kingdom*Eagle Mountain, a peak in the Mourne Mountains, Northern IrelandUnited States*Eagle Mountain *Eagle Mountain...
residents found a blown-up pickup truck with remains of a human body inside of it abandoned in the desert. Later, police identified the body and charged Godwin with first-degree murder. Although Soto testified against Godwin, Soto was sentenced to twenty-five years to life in prison for the murder in 1982. Godwin was sentenced for the murder and robbery to 26 years to life in prison in 1983.
Escape from Folsom State Prison
In 1987, Godwin attempted to escape during his incarceration at Deuel Vocational Institute in California, and he was moved to Folsom State PrisonFolsom State Prison
Folsom State Prison is a California State Prison located in the city of Folsom, California, northeast from the state capital of Sacramento. Opened in 1880, Folsom is the second-oldest prison in the state of California after San Quentin and was the first in the country to have electricity...
, a maximum-security prison. Authorities believe Godwin's wife Shelly Rose Godwin and his former cellmate in Deuel, Lorenz Karlic, helped to plan his escape.
A hacksaw
Hacksaw
A hacksaw is a fine-tooth saw with a blade under tension in a frame, used for cutting materials such as metal or plastics. Hand-held hacksaws consist of a metal arch with a handle, usually a pistol grip, with pins for attaching a narrow disposable blade. A screw or other mechanism is used to put...
and other tools had been smuggled into the prison for Godwin. On June 5, 1987, he cut a hole through fence wire and escaped into a storm drain
Storm drain
A storm drain, storm sewer , stormwater drain or drainage well system or simply a drain or drain system is designed to drain excess rain and ground water from paved streets, parking lots, sidewalks, and roofs. Storm drains vary in design from small residential dry wells to large municipal systems...
that emptied into the American River
American River
The American River is a California watercourse noted as the site of Sutter's Mill, northwest of Placerville, California, where gold was found in 1848, leading to the California Gold Rush...
. Godwin dropped through a manhole and crawled 750 feet through the pitch-black drain. Either Godwin's wife or Karlic, an accomplice, had left a raft
Raft
A raft is any flat structure for support or transportation over water. It is the most basic of boat design, characterized by the absence of a hull...
that Godwin used to float down the river, following painted arrows on rocks that directed him where to go.
In June 1987, Karlic was arrested in Hesperia, California
Hesperia, California
Hesperia is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is located in the Mojave Desert north of San Bernardino. The locals refer to the surrounding area as the High Desert...
, and convicted for aiding Godwin's escape.
In January 1988, Shelly Godwin was classified as a federal fugitive for her role in her husband's escape. She was captured by the FBI in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, on February 7, 1990.
Capture, another murder and escape
Godwin fled to Mexico, where he unsuccessfully participated in illegal drug tradeIllegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
. He was arrested in Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta is a Mexican balneario resort city situated on the Pacific Ocean's Bahía de Banderas.The 2010 census reported Puerto Vallarta's population as 255,725 making it the sixth-largest city in the state of Jalisco...
, later convicted for drug trafficking in Guadalajara, Mexico, and sentenced to seven years and six months in Puente Grande prison in 1991. While American authorities were working on Godwin's extradition
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
proceedings, he allegedly killed a member of a Mexican drug cartel in prison. The new murder allegation delayed his extradition, which gave Godwin more time to execute another escape, which occurred in September 1991.
He was reportedly seen once in California in 1997, but managed to elude the FBI, which had placed him on its Most Wanted List of fugitives the year before.
Godwin is currently believed to be involved in the illicit drug trade somewhere in Latin America, having possibly used aliases such as Dennis Harold McWilliams, Nigel Lopez and Miguel Carrera. He is considered to be armed and extremely dangerous, and an obvious flight risk. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to Godwin's capture.