A Jamaican fugitive wanted for a 2020 murder in St. Lucia was captured in Georgia earlier this month following a years-long international manhunt and multiple escapes from custody.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that 32-year-old Orville Andrew Pernell was apprehended on April 4 by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in Savannah, Georgia. Pernell, considered a dangerous fugitive, had previously escaped custody twice in the Caribbean.
Authorities say Pernell was on trial for a brutal murder committed in St. Lucia in 2020 when he first escaped from detention and fled to Jamaica. He was recaptured there in 2021 but managed to escape Jamaican custody as well.
The fugitive later resurfaced in the United States. On December 7, 2022, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered Pernell near San Ysidro, California, as he attempted to enter the country using a false identity. He was paroled into the U.S. and issued a notice to appear.
In July 2023, he was arrested again in Clayton County, Georgia for possession of a stolen motorcycle and attempting to evade arrest. Police also recovered a stolen 9mm handgun at the time.
“We are committed to tracking down fugitives who pose a serious threat to public safety, no matter where they may try to hide,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge for ICE HSI Atlanta. “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.”
ICE HSI, working in close coordination with ATF agents, tracked Pernell to the Savannah area after a lengthy investigation. He was taken into custody without incident. Pernell now faces U.S. federal charges for being an alien in possession of a firearm.
Following his prosecution in the United States, Pernell is expected to be extradited to St. Lucia, where he will stand trial for murder.
HSI Caribbean field offices in Bridgetown and Kingston played a key role in the investigation and coordination efforts, according to ICE. The agency emphasized that it continues to prioritize the arrest of violent fugitives, especially those who enter the United States in an attempt to evade justice abroad.
