A Detroit man accused of murdering his rock singer friend more than 30 years ago has finally been captured after decades on the run — and authorities say he was found living under a fake identity in Panama.
According to the U.S. Marshals Service, 56-year-old Richard Werstine, who had allegedly been using the name Joseph Alan Stavros, was arrested at a dog park in Panama after investigators tracked him down following years of searching.
Werstine is accused of killing Rodney Barger, the former lead singer of the hardcore band Cold as Life, back in September 1993.
Authorities say Barger was shot in the head inside a Detroit home while his roommate was asleep nearby.
Werstine was originally arrested for the murder years ago, but prosecutors say he disappeared before he could stand trial.
After he failed to appear in court, an arrest warrant was issued in June 1994 — and he allegedly managed to avoid capture for more than three decades.
According to investigators, Werstine repeatedly slipped through the cracks by using multiple aliases over the years.
The U.S. Marshals Service said he had been arrested several times throughout the decades under different names, but authorities never realized they had a fugitive wanted for murder in custody.
That finally changed when investigators located him in Panama.
Officials say Werstine was allegedly carrying fake identification documents when he was detained.
Authorities ultimately confirmed his identity using fingerprint analysis.
The arrest marks the end of a case that has haunted investigators and the victim’s loved ones for decades.
Cold as Life frontman Rodney Barger was a well-known figure in Detroit’s hardcore music scene during the early 1990s.
Following Werstine’s arrest, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Jimmy Allen said finally capturing the fugitive sends a message that authorities never stop hunting violent suspects.
“This demonstrates our promise to pursue those who think they can prey on members of our communities without being held accountable,” Allen said.
Officials have not yet announced when Werstine will be returned to the United States to face the decades-old murder charge.
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