Online Encyclopedia
America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted is a long-running TV show produced by 20th Century Fox and running on the Fox Network that profiles fugitives wanted for violent crimes, often including those currently on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list (see FBI ten most wanted fugitives). The fugitives' crimes include rape, white collar crime, murder, armed robbery, terrorism, drug trafficking, and child molestation.
The host of the show, John Walsh, started it partly due to the 1981 murder of his seven-year-old son, Adam Walsh. At his insistence, the show began profiling missing persons, especially children, in 1991. As of 2004, more than 700 fugitives have been captured and 42 missing children have been returned alive to their families.
The show expanded its focus to also cover criminals in the War on Terrorism when, on October 12, 2001 an episode aired featuring 22 most wanted terrorists. The show was put together due to a request by US President George W. Bush, who had presented the same list of terrorists to the nation two days earlier.