U.S. Marshals Arrest 15 Most Wanted Fugitive Wanted for Murder

Suspect allegedly bound, stabbed three men and threw their bodies in river; one miraculously survived

Washington – U.S. marshals arrested career criminal and 15 Most Wanted fugitive Tam Minh Le on Tuesday evening at an Ashland, Virginia, motel.

Philadelphia Police Department wanted Le, 43, for a brutal crime. On Aug. 27, 2014, he and his associates allegedly threw three men that were bound, beaten and stabbed in the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, leaving them for dead. One of the victims miraculously survived the ordeal.

“Tam Le’s arrest is a testament to the extraordinary efforts made by our dedicated men and women who worked on this case,” said U.S. Marshals Service Director Stacia Hylton. “I am greatly appreciative of their hard work and commitment to bringing this dangerous fugitive to justice.”

The fugitive investigation for Le gained significant momentum when U.S. Marshals from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia PD Homicide Fugitive Unit developed information leading them to the Ashland area. On Monday, the investigators sent the information to members of the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force in Virginia. Deputy U.S. Marshals immediately began canvassing local motels and collecting information in their search for Le.

On Tuesday, Le was spotted entering a room at a Motel 6. Deputies closed in, knocked on the room door and commanded him to surrender. They discovered Le’s wife and their three children in the room. After safely removing Le’s family, marshals found the fugitive locked in the bathroom attempting to escape through the ceiling. After a brief standoff, marshals convinced Le to surrender and placed him in custody at approximately 5:25 p.m.

“Tam Le’s apprehension is both significant and rewarding for the City of Philadelphia,” said David B. Webb, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “Thanks to the tenacity of our deputies and their commitment to this case, this violent fugitive will finally answer for his crimes.”

“An extremely dangerous person has been taken off the streets,” said Robert Mathieson, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We hope and pray his arrest brings some peace to the families of his victims.”

Le is currently being held at the Pamunkey Regional Jail in Hanover, Va., awaiting extradition.