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For Immediate Release

 Contact:
June 02, 2009 J. Scott Wilson, Judicial Security Inspector
Northern District of Florida (850) 942-8384
Murder Suspect Arrested by U.S. Marshals Task Force
After a week on the run, U.S. Marshal’s Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force members arrested twenty five year old Rufus L. Lee of Perry, Florida for the offenses of 1st Degree Murder, Attempted Murder, and Armed Robbery. Lee was identified by the Perry Police Department as the second suspect in a Memorial Day armed robbery which turned into a Homicide at Daddy’s Place, a local barbershop in Perry, FL. U.S. Marshals Task Force members arrested Isaac Jackson III, a documented Blood gang member, on Saturday May 30 in Thomasville, GA and had been working on tracking down Lee since being contacted by the Perry Police Department last Wednesday. Information supplied by the Perry Police Department alleged that Lee and Jackson shot and killed Henry Hughes during the armed robbery of Daddy’s Place. Lee and Jackson are also accused of shooting and wounding another victim during the robbery who is still recovering from wounds sustained during the holdup. U.S. Marshals along with Task Force members from the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office and the Tallahassee Police Department traveled to Fort Gaines, GA early this morning after determining that Lee had fled from the Taylor County, FL area. Lee, who was traveling with several family members, surrendered peacefully after a swarm of Task Force officers and Fort Gaines Police officers surrounded Room 105 at the Fort Gaines Inn Motel were he was hiding out. Lee was transported to the Fort Gaines Police Department and taken before a Clay County Judge where Lee waived his extradition back to Florida. Lee was then transported by U.S. Marshals back to Tallahassee, FL and turned over to the custody of the Perry Police Department.

U.S. Marshal Dennis Williamson stated that this case is yet another shinning example of the extraordinary cooperation between the U.S. Marshals and state and local agencies to track down and capture dangerous fugitives who are wanted for violent offenses.

The U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force is comprised of members from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, the Tallahassee Police Department, and the Leon County State Attorney’s Office. All members are sworn in as Special Deputy U.S. Marshals and have the ability to travel anywhere in the United States of America in pursuit of locally wanted violent offenders who might otherwise escape capture.