'Fugitive of the Week' Surrenders After Reward Announced

Concord, NH - “Fugitive of the Week,” Matthew Martin, 31, surrendered to the Vermont State Police during the very early morning hours on Sunday.

Martin had been wanted on two outstanding arrest warrants issued by both the New Hampshire and Vermont State Police for several robberies, including multiple armed bank robberies. After being featured as the “Fugitive of the Week,” early in December, the U.S. Marshals offered up to a $5000 reward and re-featured Mr. Martin as the “Fugitive of the Week,” just last Wednesday. Over the past several weeks, the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, VT & NH, along with the State Police investigated the countless tips that came in.

Late Saturday, family members of Martin contacted the Weathersfield (VT) Police Department indicating that Martin would surrender to them, later in the evening. After several missed meeting times, Martin eventually was arrested by the Vermont State Police when he arrived at his parent’s residence during the early hours of Sunday morning. Martin was booked on the outstanding arrest warrants by the Vermont State Police and is currently being held at the Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield, VT.

This arrest culminates an extensive and cooperative investigation by several local police departments in both VT and NH; the NH and VT State Police, and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force in NH, VT, and Massachusetts.

Martin had been featured as the “Fugitive of the Week” on December 9th & 23rd, which was aired on WTPL-FM, WMUR-TV, The Union Leader, The Nashua Telegraph, The Patch, Foster’s Daily Democrat, Manchester Information, The Manchester Ink Link and prominently featured on the internet. This program has been a remarkably successful tool that has resulted in the location and arrest of numerous fugitives since its implementation in 2007. This case received a lot of additional media coverage throughout New England once the reward was announced.

U.S. Marshal, David Cargill, Jr., said “The announcement of the reward offered by the U.S. Marshals Service is suspected of being a highly motivating factor in Martin’s surrender.” Cargill continued, “We are glad that Mr. Martin made the correct decision and this manhunt has come to a safe and quick conclusion.”

Since the inception of the New Hampshire Joint Fugitive Task Force in 2002, these partnerships have resulted in over 6,216 arrests (Updated as of 12/24/2015). These arrests have ranged in seriousness from murder, assault, unregistered sex offenders, probation and parole violations and numerous other serious offenses. Nationally the United States Marshals Service fugitive programs are carried out with local law enforcement in 94 district offices, 85 local fugitive task forces, 7 regional task forces, as well as a growing network of offices in foreign countries.