Dan Hiers Jr., a former South Carolina police officer wanted for murder and child sex offenses, has been returned to the United States after more than 20 years as a fugitive. U.S. Marshals announced Thursday that Hiers, 53, was taken into custody in Shanghai, China, and escorted back to the U.S. by deputy marshals.
Authorities allege Hiers shot his wife, 24-year-old Ludimila Hiers, in the head on March 15, 2005, just hours before he was scheduled to surrender on charges of criminal sexual conduct with a minor. He fled South Carolina shortly thereafter, evading capture for two decades.
Hiers had been a Charleston Police Department officer but was suspended in 2004 after being accused of sexually abusing a minor. He was arrested in November 2004 on a charge of committing or attempting a lewd act upon a child under 16. Additional charges were filed in March 2005, but Hiers failed to appear in court.
The U.S. Marshals Service placed Hiers on its 15 Most Wanted list in June 2005. At the time, officials described him as a former police officer with 11 years of law enforcement experience, trained in police tactics and martial arts, and warned he was "armed and dangerous." The agency noted he had allegedly stated he would not go to prison and might force an armed confrontation.
The operation to return Hiers involved collaboration between China's Ministry of Public Security, the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service, the Justice Department's Office of International Affairs, and the FBI. U.S. Marshals Director Gadyaces S. Serralta stated that Hiers' return was "significant and rewarding" and thanked international and domestic partners for their persistence.
Local law enforcement in South Carolina welcomed the news. Goose Creek police stated that Hiers' return "means that justice can finally be served for the lives he destroyed" and expressed appreciation for the U.S. Marshals' unwavering efforts. Dorchester County Sheriff Sam Richardson added that "No badge, title, or position will ever place someone above the law."
Hiers' case had been featured on television programs such as "America's Most Wanted" and "The Hunt with John Walsh" during the extensive search for him. It remains unclear when Hiers will make his initial court appearance in South Carolina.