Ronald L. Fischer arrested off New Jersey after 21-year manhunt

Ronald L. Fischer, a former Rhode Island physician who fled during his 2005 first‑degree sexual‑assault trial, was convicted in absentia and remained at large for more than two decades. Fresh intelligence gathered over a 48‑hour period in July 2026 enabled federal and state authorities to identify his location aboard the 56‑foot sailboat Silver Lining, registered as Richard Graydon.

A coordinated operation involving the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force, FBI personnel, intelligence analysts, the Rhode Island State Police and Coast Guard intercepted the vessel about one hour offshore from New Jersey on July 16 2026. Fischer was taken into custody without incident and transferred to state authorities. While his repeated appearances on America’s Most Wanted kept the case in the public eye, officials have not said a viewer tip led to the breakthrough. The arrest concludes the longest‑running fugitive hunt of its kind.