This article was originally published on SmartCelery
Some famous prison breaks will go down in history, like Frank Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin, who escaped from Alcatraz. No one knows whether these cunning convicts ever made it to dry land, but their escape made headlines around the world. Or El Chapo, who managed to escape a Mexican prison twice. And who can forget Frank Abagnale, whose daring escape and life on the run was turned into the Hollywood blockbuster, Catch Me if You Can. But this is the story about an escaped convict who didn't receive much media attention. He lived a double life for over 30 years before police caught up to him.
It All Started With an Innocent Knock on the Door
Cheryl Love and Bobby Love had just celebrated the New Year in January 2015, when one morning, Cheryl heard a knock at the door. Her husband was still sound asleep upstairs. It was the police, but Cheryl was not worried; her crazy neighbor was no stranger to law enforcement. But when 12 officers barged past her and up the stairs, she started to panic.
She noticed that the officers had FBI on the back of their jackets, and when they started questioning her husband, she had a sinking feeling in her stomach. She overheard them asking him his real name, but he whispered the answer to them. Before she knew it, they had Bobby in handcuffs and carted him away.
Unveiling Walter Miller
It turns out Bobby Love was actually Walter Miller, and he had been on the run for more than 30 years. Cheryl had no idea! Walter grew up in North Carolina and said he had a normal life. He came from an underprivileged family, raised by a single mom who tried everything to make ends meet. She had 8 children to care for and couldn't keep her head above water.
His first experience with the law happened when he went to a Sam Cooke concert. The dancing crowd aggravated the musician and stormed off stage after performing 2 songs. Walter was upset and started screaming profanities at the podium. The next thing he knew, he was arrested for disorderly conduct.
Delving Into the Criminal World
After being arrested for the first time in 1964, Walter's criminal activities escalated. He started lifting purses out of cars and committing fraud by stealing and cashing in government checks. But the law finally caught up to him when he was found stealing from the band room at his school. Walter had been caught red-handed, and the justice system had no sympathy for the impressionable young delinquent.
Unfortunately, the justice system wanted to make an example of Walter and sentenced him to serve time in a juvenile detention center. This was the start of the end for Walter.
Juvenile Hall Was an Eye-Opening Experience
Walter could not be more unhappy in juvenile hall. While he came from a low-income family, he loved his childhood and his freedom; being locked up was torture for the young man. Miller had to abide by a strict code of conduct and was often beaten up by the more violent delinquents. Walter claims that he still has scars from those beatings, both physical and emotional.
The only thing that distracted Walter was the train that would pass by every night. He would often wonder where it was going, making him anxious. The more he heard it, the more he wanted to escape.
A Carefully Thought Out Escape
Every time Walter heard the train whizz past his window, it would make him more determined to escape. Walter couldn't stand to be in the detention center for much longer and knew he had to come up with a plan. So one night, when Miller was passing the exit doors, he noticed that the guard had his back turned and decided to take a chance.
He ran for his life just as he heard the whistle of the train passing by. Walter admits that this was the first time he had ever escaped, but it wouldn't be the last time.
Following the Train
While Walter's escape was smooth, it was nothing like Hollywood films. He did run after the train, but he never took the leap as so many movies depict. Instead, he followed the train out of North Carolina and made his way to Washing, D.C. He finally had his freedom back, and Walter intended to make the most of it. Luckily for Miller, his brother lived in Washington and offered to look after him.
Walter's brother enrolled him in a local school, and he was back to studying. Miller also started to make friends and would often play baseball with them. However, he soon got in with the wrong crowd and started making bad decisions again.
Peer Pressure and Illegal Activity
Walter's new group of friends enjoyed committing petty crimes, but their offenses became more severe as time went by. The group had turned to rob banks and were lucky not to get caught. Their success was due to committing these robberies in North Carolina, as the security was not as tight. The fact that they had gotten away with it for song long made them cocky.
Walter admits that they would hang out on the strip at 14th and T Streets after every heist, showing off and acting silly. They saw themselves as gangsters and were proud of their crimes.
Their Luck Was About to Run Out
After multiple successful heists, their luck was bound to run out, and it did. In August 1971, the group was arrested when their operation failed. They made the silly mistake of robbing a bank with a silent alarm system. A brave bank teller managed to set off the alarm and warned the police without the robbers noticing. Walter and his friends left the bank in high spirits, but little did they know the police were in the parking lot waiting for them.
Miller admits that he tried to run away, but Walter was shot, wounded, and arrested while attempting to flee. Their time as notorious bank robbers was over, and all that awaited them was cold steel bars.
Sentencing
Unfortunately for Walter, his robbery was not the only crime he was found guilty of, and he was sentenced to a whopping 25-30 year jail term. In addition, Miller was hit by another blow; his mother passed away while he was behind bars. Walter was overcome by emotion and made a promise to himself that he would turn his life around, even though he was in prison.
He never gave up and submitted numerous appeals; however, they were all denied. Soon, Walter got used to his new surroundings but never became complacent. He wanted more and finally came up with a plan to be moved to a minimum-security prison.
Implementing His Plan
Walter was the perfect prisoner. He followed all the rules and regulations and never got into any trouble. There was not one mark on his record, and soon Miller earned the right to be transferred to a nearby minimum-security facility. Walter states that the new facility was like heaven compared to where he used to be incarcerated. He was delighted by the move and wanted to make the most of it.
However, he was still surrounded by high walls and barbed wire, but life, in general, was better, and the inmates were calmer. They could go out into the fresh air every day for an hour, and Walter eventually became the host of his own radio show inside the prison.
Taking the Blame
For a while, Walter enjoyed his time in the facility. For the first time in years, he was as happy as he'd ever been. Hosting a radio show really helped his sanity, and he enjoyed it immensely. But Walter was in for some bad luck when a fellow inmate verbally attacked the warden, who mistook him for Walter. After the incident, the warden had it out for him.
The warden would find fault in everything Walter did and regularly penalized him for it. Until, finally, Walter was only one mark away from being sent back to the maximum-security prison.
A New Job
Due to his escalating points, Walter was forced into a new job, one of the worst in the prison. Miller and several other inmates had to clean the roads in Raleigh. The guards woke them up ridiculously early, and they had to endure a grueling bus ride to Raleigh, where they would pick up trash left on the side of the road.
Walter admits that it was an awful job. People passing by in cars would throw hamburgers and drinks at them while mocking the inmates. He also remembers that it was almost winter, and they had to work in freezing temperatures. This was when Walter decided enough was enough; he would plan his escape.
Planning His Escape Again
Walter knew that escaping wasn't enough, and he started to save money to fund his prison break. Another essential part of his plan was to take down every tiny detail. For example, he realized that the officer guarding the door on Tuesday was lazy and would never pat down the prisoners before leaving the prison. This worked to his advantage, and he knew he would need to plan his escape for a Tuesday.
Another detail he noticed is that the bus would always stop at an intersection close to a heavily wooded area, which would be the perfect place to escape and avoid being recaptured.
The Great Escape
While watching TV on a Monday night, he decided that he would escape the following day. As predicted, the lazy officer was stationed at the front door. Walter managed to slip past him with all his possessions from his locker and his civilian clothes under his prison uniform. The first step of his plan went smoothly, but it was not over yet.
Walter ran to the bus to ensure he got one of the seats at the back by the emergency exit. Walter took his chance once the bus inched nearer to the infamous intersection. He opened the emergency exit in one quick movement and ran for his life towards the woods. He could hear the sirens behind him but kept on running until they faded into the background.
Finding a Way Out
Walter remembers how loud the alarm was behind him, and it took all the strength he had to continue running. Once the coast was clear, he decided to find the closest Greyhound station but got a bit lost. Finally, he felt comfortable enough to ask a random stranger for directions, and he told Walter that he should just continue straight until he found it.
But now Miller had another dilemma; he had no money. Luckily, a kind stranger gave him enough to buy a ticket to Manhattan. Walter felt the weight lift off his shoulders the moment he sat down. He even started a conversation with the woman sitting next to him. She asked him his name, and he blurted out, "Bobby Love."
A New City for a New Life
Bobby was excited to start his new life in New York City. He finally arrived in November 1977 and booked himself into a cheap motel. But unfortunately for Mr. Love, his money ran out before Walter could find a job, and he found himself out on the streets. Finally, he managed to get a social security number and driver's license, which led him to find a job.
At first, Bobby stayed in a cheap motel costing him a mere $8 per night. But anything was better than spending years in prison, and Bobby enjoyed every moment of his freedom.
Love Is in the Air
Bobby's first job was at the Baptist Medical Center in Brooklyn, where he worked in the cafeteria. While at work, he met Cheryl, a Godly woman who swept him off his feet. Bobby was really nervous to ask her out, but he finally built up the courage, and they went to a movie and concert. He thought he would treat Cheryl to Purple Rain from Prince, Gladys Knight, and the Pips.
When Bobby started falling more and more in love with Cheryl, he was conflicted. Love wasn't sure if he should tell Cheryl the truth about his past. He knew that the police could find him on any given day.
Moving on
The couple dated for a few years before Bobby popped the question. They finally wed on March 30, 1985, when Bobby was 34 and Cheryl was 21. Bobby and Cheryl wasted no time in starting and family, and their daughter, Jasmin, was born soon after their nuptials. After a few years as a family of three, Cheryl gave birth to another girl, Jessica. Eleven years after Jessica was born, the couple was shocked when they learned they were expecting twin boys named Justin and Jordan.
With such a big family to support, Bobby worked 2 jobs. He worked so hard that he would only get two hours of sleep on any given night. In addition, Bobby attended church on a weekly basis, but he was delighted with his new life.
The Weight of His Past Was Dragging Him Down
Although Bobby was thrilled with his big family and life in New York, his past always came back to haunt him. He was still dabbling with the decision to tell his wife who he really was. But Cheryl was a Godly woman, and Bobby was convinced she would tell him to turn himself in. Probably one of the biggest mistakes Bobby could make was communicating with family who still lived in North Carolina.
Bobby's sister told the media that he made her promise to tell Cheryl about his past once he died, but she did not like this plan; she wanted Bobby to tell her now.
Bobby Started Acting Strangely
Cheryl said that something was starting to change in Bobby's behavior. He didn't venture out that much anymore; he hated having his photo taken and was very wary of strangers. She admitted that his erratic behavior was starting to affect their marriage. If a stranger walked up to him in the streets to ask for directions, he would begin to get nervous, and Cheryl couldn't understand why.
Bobby would put a shield up when she confronted him about his strange behavior. Cheryl was so frustrated; she remembers going to church and praying for guidance.
The Mistake That Changed Everything
Against Bobby's better judgment, he decided to go to North Carolina to attend his sibling's funeral. While it was great to see all his family and some old friends, it was the beginning of the end for Mr. Love. He believes that someone recognized him while back home and called the cops. It didn't take long for the police to find out where he lived, and they came knocking.
Cheryl felt betrayed once she had learned what her husband was hiding from her. She thinks that Bobby deceived her, and their marriage was based on a lie. But she still loved Bobby and was willing to forgive him.
Living Happily Ever After
Bobby was a lucky man. Even after finding out that he lied to her after so many years of marriage, Cheryl did everything she could to get him out of jail. She wrote several letters to both the Governor and President Obama. In addition, she asked her family and friends to write testimonials about what a good man Bobby was and that he had turned his life around.
Cheryl's perseverance finally paid off, and after a year behind bars, Bobby love was released from prison. He returned to his wife and children, and because there were no more secrets between them, their marriage and family dynamic improved significantly. They are still happily married and have had great satisfaction watching their children grow up.
The Tragic Story of Jannie Duncan - An Escaped Felon Who Murdered Her Husband
Jannie Duncan was a reserved young woman who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the murder of her husband, Orell Duncan, in 1956. She buried his body in a shallow grave on the outskirts of Richmond, Virginia, but his body was found days later, and the police hunted her down and arrested her. After serving a few years in prison, Jannie was transferred to a mental institution, St. Elizabeth's hospital, in Washington.
Now that she was in a place where the security was much more relaxed, Jannie could plan her escape. In 1962, Jannie escaped from St. Elizabeths and was on the run for 13 years before the law finally caught up to her. But during that time, she reinvented herself and changed her name to Joan Davis.
Building a New Life From Scratch
Joan found herself on the streets of Washington and had to work hard to establish a life for herself. Eventually, she found work and started making friends. Joan was so charismatic, and she did not fear getting caught. Everybody trusted and loved her, and she was an avid figure in her community. When police finally tracked her down, the people close to her were utterly shocked; they would have never suspected that she had a criminal past.
In fact, her community loved her so much that even after they found out that she murdered her husband, they didn't care. Some people even offered to give testimonials to help her case.
A Lapse in Memory
Those close to Joan couldn't believe she was a murderer. Her friends thought that even if she did kill her husband, she probably had a good reason. Even one of her ex-employers came to her rescue, saying that her husband deserved it. But when Joan was arrested, she was baffled. She did not know what she had done wrong.
Joan claims to have no recollection of what happened, and she does not know who Jannie Duncan is; in addition, Joan claimed that she did not escape from the mental institution; she was abducted.
The Truth Shall She You Free!
The police had three theories and needed to figure out the truth. First, Joan was being truthful, and she was not Jannie Duncan. Second, Joan was mentally unstable and forgot who she was and what she had done. Third, she did not have a mental health condition and faked her way into the mental institution in order to escape. It was very frustrating for the police, but they believed they could crack the case.
Detectives would need to delve into her past to get to the bottom of things. All they needed was one smoking gun to put her away for the rest of her life.
Who Was Jannie Duncan?
If Joan was, in fact, Jannie Duncan, she was born on February 9, 1920, in Gravel Hill, Virginia. Her parents called her Jane Waller, but her friends nicknamed her Jannie. She came from a big family and had six siblings. Jannie was a very intelligent person and stayed in High School until Grade 11, which was uncommon at the time. Once she turned 19, she fell head over heels for a man named Thomas Bowman, and he became her first husband.
However, after two months of marriage, Jannie fled to Washington and started working in a house as a maid. Jannie enjoyed the hustle and bustle of Washington's nightlife and was often seen in various nightclubs. After a few years, she finally divorced her first husband and shortly after met Telfair Washington, a comedian. The couple married in 1944.
Heartbroken
Unfortunately, Telfair passed away from a heart attack just two years after getting married. Jannie was devasted; he was her greatest love, her soulmate. Once Jannie was ready to move on, she looked for a man with the same qualities as her ex-husband, but that was harder than she thought. Eventually, Jannie decided to open a boarding home, and that's when she met someone new.
Four years after Telfair passed away, Jannie married James Terry in 1950. But it seemed Jannie wasn't very lucky when it came to marriage, as the couple divorced soon after. Terry was a gambler, and Jannie couldn't trust him.
Mesmorized by Orell Ducan
Although Jannie was unlucky in love, she was a good career woman, and her boarding house was a huge success. Jannie owned a 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood and also loved showing off her full-length mink coat. Jannie was not looking for love, but in 1954, she met Orell Duncan. At the time, Orell was a member of Henry "Piggy" Leake's gambling organization. Henry was a renowned and feared Kingpin.
Orell wasn't exactly on the straight and narrow, and in 1952 he was arrested for a lottery and number slips scam. But Jannie didn't care; she was head over heels. The couple got married in 1955, but cracks started to form early on in their marriage.
The Details of Orell's Death Are a Bit Hazy
Police know that Orell died on March 11, 1956, but how he died is debatable. What they suspected happened was that Orell arrived at Jannie's boarding house at midday. It is said that the couple got into a heated fight, and Jannie felt so threatened by Orell that she took out her gun and pointed at him. However, Orell launched himself toward Jannie and snatched the gun away from her.
Luckily for Jannie, two of her friends, Edward James and Calvin Simms, showed up. Unfortunately, they intervened, and in the process, Orell was killed. He sustained multiple injuries to the head, which caused his death. Days later, Jannie, Calvin, and Edward were arrested for murder.
The Trial
People wondered what Jannie's motive was. There were rumors that Orell wanted to report her to the IRS, and the media caught onto the tale and ran with it. The courts took this opportunity to try to charge her with first-degree murder, and sentence her to death.
Unfortunately, the state had a star witness on its side. His name was Carl Winchester. He was involved with one of Jannie's employees and claimed to have witnessed the incident. In his testimony, he says he saw her firing the gun at Orell, but it never went off. The state also claimed that the 3 defendants were all seen together in Jannie's Cadillac after the fight.
Jannie's Side of the Story
When it was the defense's turn to take the stand, they had a different version of the story. Allegedly, they all got into the car, and the fight escalated. In the end, Orell fell out of the car, and they accidentally drove over him, causing his death. The jury seemed to think this was a more convincing description of what happened and convicted Jannie and Edward of 2nd-degree murder, and Calvin went down for manslaughter.
While in prison, Jannie was a model inmate. She spent most of her time alone with her law books, and in 1960, after 3 years behind bars, she was transferred to the mental institution where she spent 2 years before her escape.
Wanted Posters
After she escaped from St. Elizabeths, the FBI put up posters of Jannie, describing her as dangerous. “Duncan is an escapee from a mental institution. Participated in a vicious assault which resulted in the victim's death. Considered dangerous.” were the words splashed across the poster. They were distributed in September 1963, ten months after her daring escape. Even though her face was on the poster, they never made it to Washington, where she was hiding at the time.
While Jannie created a good life for herself while running from the FBI, things started to fall apart, her relationship with Wilbert Lassiter ended in 1974, and she suspected that one of her close friends turned her in.
The Proof They Needed
Joan had married Wilbert Lassiter, but Wilbert filed for divorce before the FBI caught up with her. The reason he gave was that Joan was convicted of an infamous offense before marrying him and lied about it. Joan was stumped; how did he know about her past? In addition, Joan's friend had filed a harassment charge against her, and she was arrested for this offense on New Year Eve in 1974.
The Arlington police sent her home, and Joan couldn't believe her luck. But, unfortunately, she was fingerprinted, and once the results came back, they were a match; Joan was indeed Jannie Duncan.
Jannie Was Sent Back to St. Elizabeth
After Joan was released from police custody, the FBI showed up on her door two days later. When she answered the door, agent Niemala called her Jannie Duncan and arrested her. Jannie was apparently catatonic when they were putting her in handcuffs. Everything she had been through and fought for was now crumbling around her.
The judge saw it fit to send Jannie back to St. Elizabeths for evaluation. Her therapist concluded that she did not have a mental health condition, and Jannie was transferred to a prison.
Her Side of the Story Was Muddled
Jannie's series of events were all over the place. According to her, she doesn't remember much after she escaped from St. Elizabeths. Jannie claims that she was abused while in their care and referred to a situation where she alleges a heavy-set woman strangled her. However, when this woman was questioned, she doesn't remember ever meeting her.
There was also a story about Jannie's friend and fellow inmate Ernestine Delaney. Apparently, Ernestine was planning an escape, and Jannie convinced her to change her mind; shortly after, Jannie escaped from the mental institution.
The Real Side of the Story
Although Jannie is guilty of quite a few offenses, the murder of her husband is questionable. It has been proven that one month after the couple married, Orwell got horribly drunk and beat Jannie to a pulp. She finally escaped his grip and locked herself in the bathroom, where she called his mother to ask her to take her to the hospital. Unfortunately, this was not the last time Orwell would abuse her, which is why she left him.
But even moving out could not stop his evil. She was sent to the hospital multiple times because of his beatings, which have all been verified. One night once Orell had passed out, Jannie found his gun and told him she handed it to the police, but she had hidden it away from him.
The Straw That Broke the Camel's Back
After multiple visits to the hospital, Jannie finally laid a charge against Orell, and a warrant went out for his arrest. Orell was furious and threatened to kill Jannie. However, Orell seemed to evade law enforcement and was never arrested. This led to the horrific day on March 11, 1956, when Orell was killed. The toxicology report verified that Orell was completely intoxicated, which matches Jannie's version of events.
Due to the fact that Orell was utterly intoxicated, the jury believed that he fell out of the car and died, which is why the charges were downgraded to second-degree murder and manslaughter.
Finally a Free Woman
In 1977, Jannie finally received her freedom. She had planned to write a memoir and ask the president for a pardon, but she quickly faded into the background and out of the public eye. As a result, not much is known about her life after prison; all the public knows is that Jannie has a daughter, but their relationship is strained. Her daughter, now 60, denied that Jannie was her mother but eventually admitted that she was her daughter.
The only person still in contact with Jannie was her friend Lorraine Sterling. Unfortunately, Lorraine moved to North Carolina, but they still spoke as often as possible over the phone.
Jannie's Last Few Years
Sterling revealed that Jannie moved to Maryland, where she focussed on her career and making friends. Although she could have published her story, she preferred to live quietly in peace instead. Jannie spent her last few years in an assisted care living facility in Chevy Chase. Maryland. Everyone who had ever met Jannie would speak fondly of her and her kind nature.
After everything Jannie had been put through in her life, it all worked out in the end. She could have given up, but she always fought for what she knew she deserved, and no one could take that away from her.
Through: nydailynews.com