By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff ReporterTHE LIFESPAN of many of Jamaica's most wanted fugitives seems never to go past two years, once they make the list of the infamous. Joel Andem, who was nabbed Wednesday morning during a joint police/military operation in Clarksonville, St. Ann, was an exception.
The police had been hunting him for the past four years before he was caught. But there were a few others on the most wanted list who, like Andem, lived for more than two years after making the list and lack of sufficient evidence prevented them from being convicted.
Some of the most dangerous criminals over the years were:
Ivanhoe Martin, alias 'Rhygin', whose character was projected in the movie 'The Harder They Come', was killed by the police during a gun battle on September 9, 1948, at Lime Cay.
Dennis 'Copper' Barth, who was from 'Hot Steppers Gang' in East Kingston, was a notorious bank robber, who lived like a modern day Robin Hood, taking from the rich and giving to the poor. He was killed at age 27. A reward of $5,000 was offered for his capture. The police said he was gunned down in May 1978 during a robbery attempt at the Caymanas Park race track in St. Catherine.
Anthony Tingle, alias 'Starkey', who was then the most wanted man. He was killed on June 1, 1981 during a shoot-out with the police in Jones Town, South St. Andrew. Tingle was among seven persons who died in that gun battle.
Christopher Henry, alias 'Natty Chris' had to flee the Tel-Aviv Gang in Central Kingston to Arnett Gardens in South St. Andrew. The police were hot on his heels. Henry was implicated in the 1980 Gold Street massacre. He was cornered and killed during a shoot-out with the police in Arnett Gardens in 1984.
Wayne 'Sandokan' Smith who operated out of Waterhouse and Olympic Gardens communities of St. Andrew, was implicated in the death of several policemen. He was involved in a bloody attack on the Olympic Gardens Police Station, where several policemen were killed. The police killed him during a shoot-out in 1989.
Nathaniel 'Natty' Morgan, one of the most feared fugitives who escaped from the Gun Court in December 1990, was shot and killed by the police in August 1991 at Lakes Pen, St. Catherine.
Radcliffe Rowe of Arnett Gardens, was killed in a gun battle with the police in that community, in 1992.
Ian 'Stella' Scot, also of Arnett Gardens, became
public enemy number one after Rowe's death. He too was cornered and killed by the police during a shoot-out in 1997.
Others who became the country's most wanted, were held and charged, but were not convicted. They include were George Flash and Anthony Brown who were on the run for more than 10 years.
They turned themselves in to the police and were charged with separate murders committed in the 1980s. They were allowed to walked free from the court, after the court found that there was not sufficient evidence to convict them.
