Steven Craig Johnson, a 70-year-old fugitive also known as William “Bud” Cox to his neighbors in Macon, Georgia, received an unexpected visit from federal authorities at his apartment this week. U.S. Marshals knocked on his door on Tuesday afternoon, catching him off guard but initially calm, according to officials.
Inside his modest fifth-floor unit, Johnson’s composure wavered when authorities began asking probing questions. His careful facade began to crack when he struggled to provide details about his parents’ background, crucial information that eventually led to his identification, according to USMS Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force Senior Inspector Chris Wright.
“Next question we asked him was, ‘Well, where were they born?’ ” the investigator recalled. “And he paused, leaned back against the wall and said, ‘I don’t know.’ After that sunk in with him and then with us for a few seconds, we told him what we thought and didn’t have to pry very hard. He admitted that he was, in fact, Steven Craig Johnson.”
Johnson had been on the run since 1994, escaping from an Oregon prison where he was serving a lengthy sentence for sexual abuse and sodomy. Over the years, he managed to evade authorities by assuming the identity of a deceased child from Texas, obtaining forged documents including a driver’s license and passport under the alias “Bud Cox.”
“We gave him the surprise of his life,” Wright told Newsweek, reflecting on the arrest. “I’ve been doing this almost 19 years and I’ve never caught a 30-year fugitive. I would consider it very rare. Most investigators go entire careers and don’t see a case like this.”
Johnson’s arrest came following years of investigative work prompted by a request from the Oregon Department of Corrections in 2015. The State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service provided critical leads that eventually led authorities to Johnson’s residence in Macon’s Clisby Apartments.
“He lived quietly, mostly keeping to himself,” noted Eddie Rozier, a neighbor who knew him as Bud. “I didn’t know much about him beyond casual greetings.”
Now facing extradition back to Oregon, Johnson awaits legal proceedings to determine the next steps. “He will be held accountable for any crimes committed during his decades on the run,” stated Amber Campbell from the Oregon Department of Corrections.
Reflecting on Johnson’s evasion tactics, criminal defense attorney Chandelle Summer commented, “His ability to forge a new identity and remain elusive is reminiscent of a Hollywood plot.”
As Johnson’s story unfolds, investigators will delve deeper into his activities and life during his long escape from justice. For now, his capture marks a significant closure to a prolonged chapter of evasion and deceit.
