After a three-year international manhunt, a Jamaican fugitive who escaped custody twice and entered the U.S. illegally has finally been apprehended for a brutal 2020 murder in St. Lucia.
At a Glance
- Orville Andrew Pernell, 32, was captured in Georgia by ICE and ATF agents after fleeing his murder trial in St. Lucia and later escaping custody in Jamaica
- Pernell entered the U.S. in December 2022 using a fake identity and was arrested in July 2023 with a stolen motorcycle and handgun
- He is charged with being an alien in possession of a weapon and will be extradited to St. Lucia to face murder charges
- The successful arrest resulted from multinational law enforcement cooperation across Caribbean nations and U.S. agencies
A Brutal Murder and Daring Escapes
In 2020, St. Lucian authorities arrested Jamaican national Orville Pernell, then 27, for the murder of 27-year-old Cleus Alfred. Following his bail hearing, Pernell was remanded to custody until November 11 of that year.
However, the accused murderer wouldn’t remain behind bars for long. In a brazen escape, Pernell sawed through the bars of his cell, which he shared with four other prisoners, and fled the island nation, triggering an international manhunt that would span years and multiple countries.
“As we speak there is a manhunt in relation to the suspect and we are pursuing him. My information is that the suspect was in a cell with four other prisoners and he was able to saw the bars of the cell and made his way out of the cell,” said Superintendent of Crime Management, George Nicholas.
A Flight Across Multiple Nations
After his initial escape from St. Lucia, authorities eventually located Pernell in Jamaica in 2021. However, in a pattern that was becoming familiar, he managed to escape custody a second time, demonstrating his determination to avoid facing justice for his alleged crimes. His flight didn’t end there. In December 2022, Pernell attempted to enter the United States using falsified identification documents. Immigration officials, unaware of his true identity and criminal history, paroled him into the country.
“After a long run from justice, he’s finally back in custody and facing the consequences,” said HSI Atlanta in a statement following Pernell’s capture.
The fugitive’s freedom in America was short-lived. By July 2023, Pernell had established himself in Savannah, Georgia, where his criminal activities continued. Local law enforcement arrested him for possession of a stolen motorcycle and a stolen 9mm handgun. This arrest led to the discovery of his true identity and outstanding murder warrant from St. Lucia, triggering the final phase of his capture by federal authorities.
International Cooperation Leads to Capture
The successful apprehension of Pernell demonstrates the effectiveness of international law enforcement cooperation. ICE and ATF agents, working with local, state, and international partners, tracked down the fugitive in Savannah, bringing his years on the run to an end. Pernell now faces federal charges for being an alien in possession of a weapon in the United States, with extradition to St. Lucia pending to face trial for the 2020 murder.
“We are committed to tracking down fugitives who pose a serious threat to public safety, no matter where they may try to hide,” said ICE HSI Special Agent in Charge Atlanta Steven N. Schrank. “This operation highlights our ongoing work to dismantle criminal networks and bring violent individuals to justice. We are thankful for our local, state, and international law enforcement partners who helped us secure this arrest.”
The case highlights the critical role of border security and inter-agency cooperation in apprehending dangerous criminals. Had immigration officials detected Pernell’s false identity when he first attempted to enter the U.S., he might have been captured earlier. Nevertheless, the coordinated efforts across multiple law enforcement agencies ultimately ensured that this fugitive’s flight from justice came to an end, demonstrating that even across international boundaries, the long arm of the law eventually catches up to those who attempt to evade it.
