Posted on 07/17/2026 5:31:24 AM PDT by dennisw
A Rhode Island fugitive who had been on the run for 20 years and was featured on “America’s Most Wanted” was captured by US Marshals on his sailboat off the coast of New York.
Ronald L. Fischer was tracked down by federal agents to his 56-foot-long sailing vessel “The Silver Lining” about an hour offshore on Thursday, ending a decades-long wild goose chase to take down the sex offender, according to the US Marshals Service.
Fischer, 70, had been on the lam since 2005 when he fled Rhode Island during his criminal trial in Newport for allegedly raping a woman on his yacht named the “Lion King,” two years earlier.
Fischer disappeared from the Ocean State days before closing arguments were scheduled in his 2005 case, claiming innocence but telling his attorney he was fleeing to a different country.
“Although I believe my trial has gone very well, and expect to be acquitted and dismissed, the small chance of losing could carry extremely and unacceptably harsh penalties,” Fischer wrote in the email at the time, WPRI reported.
“I have therefore decided not to take the risk and to leave the US and enjoy life in another country where I have long been carefully planning a good, safe, secure and comfortable life.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Hiding in plain sight.
Any of where I’d have moved to, upon retirement 26 years ago.
Clearly not. /s
She was murdered and found in the Chesapeake Bay back in 1993. Because of the episode, the murderer was found in a Florida prison where he had admitted to a cell mate that he was the one who killed her.
“I have therefore decided not to take the risk and to leave the US and enjoy life in another country where I have long been carefully planning a good, safe, secure and comfortable life.”
Clearly not. /s
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In the beginning he was off to the high seas and far away from the US Law. But this was 20 years ago. As he acquired false IDs he became more comfortable, that he would never be caught. ...... So confident that he basically went back to where he committed the crime. He raped her in Rhode Island and was appended in NY.
I don’t know much about sailboats. Is a 56 ft one considered big? and are they expensive?
“I don’t know much about sailboats. Is a 56 ft one considered big? and are they expensive?”
That is big. Large enough for a family to live in. Has an engine in it too.
chatGPT says >>> Likely market value: $250,000–$500,000
22 years ago He was found guilty in absentia.
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