The hunt continues for a Baton Rouge man, Leethel White, who remains on the loose nearly a decade after he was accused of a deadly shooting, with the U.S. Marshals offering up to $25,000 for information leading to his whereabouts—or to confirm whether he's still alive. According to the U.S. Marshals Service, White, also known as "Lee Lee," has been a fixture on their 15 Most Wanted fugitives list since December 2023, his reputation cemented by the charges for first-degree murder and attempted murder stemming from a 2016 incident.
It was in the Gardere area where White allegedly shot two women, killing one and seriously wounding the other, and since then, he has evaded capture, causing frustration for law enforcement and torment for the victims' families. Described as 5 feet 10 inches tall, around 215 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, and marked by tattoos on both arms, chest, and back, White is not a man to approach, as he remains armed and dangerous while the pursuit for justice stretches into yet another year. William Travis Brown Jr., the U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of Louisiana, stated, "I urge anyone with information that can help us find Mr. White or his remains and close this investigation to come forward and help us bring closure to the victims and their families," as reported by the U.S. Marshals Service.
The 15 Most Wanted program has been a cornerstone of the USMS since 1983, spotlighting the nation's most dangerous fugitives, deemed the "worst of the worst," from murdering suspects to organized crime figures and beyond, it's a list that Leethel White occupies. Over the years since the inauguration of the initiative, more than 250 cases with fugitives featured on the 15 Most Wanted list have been closed, reflecting the program's success as a vital tool in the U.S. Marshals' broader crime-fighting apparatus.
With a history laden with collaboration and expertise lent to various law enforcement agencies, the USMS-led fugitive task forces boast impressive figures from the past year; they've arrested over 74,000 fugitives and have cleared nearly 89,000 warrants in the fiscal year 2024, demonstrating their relentless pursuit of those on the wrong side of the law and digging ever deeper into communities to pull out the roots of criminality that threaten peace. The agency maintains an option for tips via their 24-hour line at 1-877-WANTED2 or through the USMS Tips App, and while rewards are not typically offered for the deceased in these cases, special circumstances, such as the doubt shrouding White's fate, can lead to exceptions.
