Fugitive may be in Cayman, authorities warn

A US fugitive who authorities said faked his own death twice after fleeing arson charges in New Hampshire may be in the Cayman Islands, American authorities said Friday.

According to Deputy US Marshal Jeffrey White, James Lyman Hill, 68, is wanted in the state after he allegedly doused his then-girlfriend’s home with gasoline and set it on fire. The arson occurred around 6pm on 13 December, 1997, police said.

Less than an hour before the fire started, police said that Mr. Hill had received a call from his then-girlfriend telling him she wanted nothing more to do with him. Mr. Hill fled the area before police could find him, officers said.

In January 1998, police said they believed Mr. Hill had taken a sailboat in the Florida Keys. The vessel was later found run aground and there was no sign of Mr. Hill following US Coast Guard searches.

“At the time, he was declared legally dead,” Deputy Marshall White said.

However, about a year later, a vehicle with some personal items believed to belong to Mr. Hill was found in a south Florida river, but again, authorities never located the man. 

It was not clear precisely why US authorities believed Mr. Hill might be in the Cayman Islands; although they did note that an individual who came forward in connection with the 1997 arson case indicated the suspect may have fled to Cuba.

“It’s mainly through interviews with friends and family, who believe he might have gone there,” Mr. White said. “He likes the water, he likes the heat, he likes sailing.”

Mr. Hill’s case was featured in years past on the popular television programme America’s Most Wanted, Mr. White said.

“We just want to get the word out there in case someone has seen a person matching Hill’s description recently,” the deputy marshall said, adding that the fugitive suspect does not have any family ties in Cayman.

Local authorities did not immediately respond to questions about the US case Friday.