One Of America’s Most Wanted Fugitives Posts Wedding Photo On Social Media, U.S. Marshals State
Jihad Amir Ramadan, 30, must have believed he was in the clear when he posted a wedding photo of himself and his bride to social media, two years after being declared one of America’s Most Wanted.
On Monday, U.S. Marshals released a photo of Ramadan that had been posted to a friend’s Myspace account back in 2007, two years following his role in fatally stabbing 20-year-old Byron Bryant of Texas. The photograph is believed by officials to be of Ramadan at his own wedding next to his bride, indicating that the suspect may have gotten married while he was on the run, as authorities stated.
Deputy U.S. Marshal, Chris Leuer, spoke to Inside Edition on the matter.
“We’re confident based on the age progression that it matches. [Ramadan] has a lot of ties to the Caribbean. It’s possible [his wife is] from down there.”
Authorities, including the U.S Marshals, released the photo on Monday in the hopes that someone may be able to identify the female in the photograph. Although the woman is not a suspect in the murder investigation, the U.S Marshals Services is offering as much as $2,500 for any details or information that will lead to Ramadan’s arrest, including identifying the woman in the wedding picture.
Leuer noted that they believe the individual who posted the photo to MySpace is a very close family friend and have determined that one immediate family member to Ramadan was present at the wedding. Officials believe the wedding to have been held in either New York or New Jersey based on family ties Ramadan has.
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Ramadan was reportedly born Justin Faustin and his last known address was in New Rochelle, New York, according to records discovered by investigators. He is believed to have had his name legally changed by family members. Officials suspect that Ramadan has now taken on a new identity and that he may have fled to the Caribbean.
“There’s ‘a strong possibility he is in the Caribbean,’ Leuer said.”
The victim’s mother, Cheryl Pitts-Bryan, spoke to Inside Edition about her loss and the inability for officials to locate her son’s killer.
“Two young men were lost that day. My son never to return.”
Bryant’s mother went on to share the connection her son had with the suspect, Ramada, relaying that the two young men were classmates at Hampton University in Virginia, studying business. Bryant was hoping to go into a career in law. Pitts-Bryant shared about the scene the night her son was killed, as recounted by an eyewitness. She stated that Bryant and his roommate were at a get-together off campus when her son was surrounded by a group of “young men from New York,” as Inside Edition notes. Bryant was stabbed and bled to death on the operating table at the age of 20.
“I don’t believe [Jihad] went out and said, ‘I’m going to kill somebody’ that day… [But] he needs to know that we’re still looking for him and that he’s not going to get to live this life of freedom.”
Bryant’s mother shares that although her son has been gone since 2005, eleven years later, his friends still make visits to her home in Houston and on his birthday, or on the anniversary of her son’s death.
“They take me to lunch, they bring me flowers. They stuck with me all these years, and have been so kind and loving. They’re all my kids.”
As those friends, cousins and even girlfriend to Bryant move on and get married as well as start families of their own, Ms. Pitt-Bryant shares how her own son will never have this same opportunity due to Ramadan.
“This would have been the kind of thing my son would have done. Our son would not have that opportunity.”
[Featured Image by Victor J. Blue/Getty Images]
