George Edward Wright, an American fugitive wanted for crimes dating back more than six decades, remains at large after vanishing for over 40 years and later resurfacing overseas.
Wright’s criminal history includes murder, prison escape, and participation in one of the most notorious aircraft hijackings of the early 1970s.
The case began on November 23, 1962, in Wall, New Jersey, when Wright and an accomplice carried out a robbery at a local gas station. During the crime, the gas station owner was shot and killed. Wright’s accomplice was arrested shortly after the incident, while Wright initially avoided capture.
On December 13, 1962, Wright was formally indicted for murder in connection with the robbery. He later entered a plea of “no defense,” a legal equivalent to not contesting the charges, and was sentenced to a prison term of 15 to 30 years. He was incarcerated at the New Jersey State Prison in Leesburg, New Jersey.
Wright remained in custody until August 22, 1970, when he escaped from prison. The circumstances of the escape prompted authorities to issue an arrest warrant charging him with escape. Four days later, on August 26, 1970, a federal arrest warrant was issued by the United States District Court in Trenton, New Jersey, charging Wright with unlawful flight to avoid confinement.
Nearly two years later, Wright resurfaced in dramatic fashion. On July 31, 1972, he and several accomplices hijacked a Delta Airlines flight traveling from Detroit, Michigan, to Miami, Florida. The hijackers were armed with handguns and threatened passengers and crew during the takeover of the aircraft.
At the time of the hijacking, Wright was traveling under the alias Reverend Larry Burgess. He was dressed as a cleric, carried a Bible, and used the disguise to avoid suspicion. Authorities later confirmed that Wright concealed a firearm inside the Bible, which he used to confront the pilot and crew during the hijacking.
After the aircraft landed in Miami, a ransom demand was met, and the passengers were released unharmed. Wright and the other hijackers then ordered the crew to fly the plane to Boston, Massachusetts. There, the aircraft was refueled and an international navigator was brought onboard to assist with a transatlantic flight.
The plane was then flown to Algiers, Algeria. Upon arrival, the aircraft and the ransom money were eventually returned to the United States government. However, Wright and the other hijackers were not extradited at the time and were allowed to remain free, marking a significant turning point in his long evasion of U.S. authorities.
For decades following the hijacking, Wright disappeared from public view, becoming one of the longest-running American fugitives. His whereabouts remained unknown until September 26, 2011, when he was arrested in Portugal after more than 40 years on the run.
Despite his arrest, Wright was released from custody in October 2011 following legal proceedings in Portugal. He has remained in the country since then and continues to live there. Extradition efforts by U.S. authorities were unsuccessful, largely due to legal and jurisdictional challenges related to the age of the crimes and Wright’s status in Portugal.
Today, George Edward Wright is the only hijacker from the 1972 Delta Airlines incident who remains at large. His case continues to draw attention as an example of how international legal complexities and the passage of time can allow fugitives accused of serious crimes to avoid serving their full sentences.
Law enforcement officials have long described Wright’s history as one of the most unusual fugitive cases in modern U.S. criminal justice, spanning murder, escape, international hijacking, and decades of evasion across borders.
