FBI Adds William Bradford Bishop to Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List

The FBI has named William Bradford Bishop, Jr. to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Bishop is wanted for allegedly bludgeoning to death his wife Annette, mother Lobelia, and three sons, William Bradford III (14), Brenton (10), and Geoffrey (5) at their home in Bethesda, Maryland, on March 1, 1976. Investigators believe Bishop then drove to rural North Carolina, buried the bodies in a shallow grave, and lit them on fire. The United States Attorney’s Office in Maryland has charged Bishop with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution in the murders.

Adding Bishop to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list creates the national and international attention needed to bring closure to a case that has remained unsolved for decades. Bishop has not been seen since he bought a pair of sneakers in Jacksonville, North Carolina, in 1976. A witness said Bishop was with a woman who was walking a dog described as an Irish Setter but is believed to have been the family’s golden retriever Leo.

Investigators with the FBI’s Baltimore and Washington Field Offices, Montgomery County Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and United States Department of State formed a task force in May 2013 to review the case as part of a cold case initiative. The task force is now asking the public for help in finding Bishop. The task force worked with top forensic artist Karen T. Taylor to create an age-progressed bust of what Bishop may look like now at the age of 77.

“Media wasn’t the same in 1976 as it is now. You didn’t have 24-hour news stations that many people watch in the gym or sitting in airports. You also didn’t have social media, like Facebook or Twitter back then,” said Steve Vogt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Division. “All that has changed with the Bishop case is the passage of time. Bishop broke with his life and assumed a new identity. Because of that fact, most traditional fugitive investigative techniques are worthless. We’re hoping media and people who are active on social media pay attention to this; they’ll be the ones to solve this case.”

Bishop is a white man and 6’1” tall and 180 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes when he was last seen in 1976. He has a six-inch vertical surgical scar on his lower back that would still be visible.

“This was a horrific case that involved five innocent members of one family, including three young children, who were all brutally murdered in a place in which they felt safe and by a person whom they trusted. It is unthinkable that a man who is a son, a husband, and a father could commit such a terrible crime,” said Chief Thomas Manger with the Montgomery County Police Department.

Bishop loved the outdoors and was an avid hiker, runner, swimmer, and fisherman who also enjoyed riding motorcycles. He was also a licensed amateur pilot who learned to fly in Botswana, Africa. Bishop was well-read and learned to speak many languages while working in the United States Foreign Service. Bishop earned a degree in American Studies from Yale University and a master’s degree in Italian from Middlebury College in Vermont. He kept detailed journals and may continue to do so now. Bishop was a longtime insomniac and was being treated with medication for depression. Bishop drank scotch and wine, and he enjoyed eating peanuts and spicy food. He was also prone to violent outbursts and preferred a neat and orderly environment.

“Bishop wrote many times in his journal that he wanted a freer life, one where he didn’t have to answer to anyone but himself. He doesn’t deserve the freedom he’s enjoyed for the last three decades,” said Sheriff Darren Popkin with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. “We have a warrant for his arrest, and regardless of how old it is, we know the only way we’re going to bring Bishop to justice is for a neighbor, co-worker, or possible family member to come forward to say they know Bishop now.”

Bishop is believed to have taken with him a Smith and Wesson .38 revolver he inherited from his father with the serial number C981967. He had been seen in many photos wearing his class ring from Yale, something that meant a lot to him andthat he still may have or wear.

William Bradford Bishop, Jr. is the 502nd person to be placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, which was established in March 1950. Since then, 471 fugitives have been caught or located, 156 of them as a result of citizen cooperation.

If you have any information about William Bradford Bishop, Jr. that may help lead to locating him or help investigators, you are asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI. You could receive a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to his arrest. Go to www.fbi.gov to see more detailed information about the Bishop case, study the age-progressed photos in-depth, and view his dental records and other important images that may help you identify Bishop. You can also leave any tips at https://tips.fbi.gov/. If you are overseas, you are asked to go to the nearest embassy or consulate.

- Related FBI.gov Top Story: William Bradford Bishop Added to FBI Top Ten List