Escaped Utah Prisoner Missing Over 22 Years Arrested in Oregon

Anyone with information to assist with this investigation regarding Ritterbush is asked to contact Oregon State Police.

Fugitive 62-year old Lyndal Dala Ritterbush in '84 and now Photos: Oregon State Police/Utah Department of Corrections

(SALEM, Ore.) - A Utah State Prisoner who escaped from custody and remained missing for more than 22 years, was captured Thursday by Oregon State Police in the Salem area during an identity theft investigation.

They say 62-year old Lyndal Dala Ritterbush was arrested without incident as a Fugitive From Justice after Oregon State Police positively identified him as an escaped Utah State Prison inmate.

The Utah Department of Corrections says Ritterbush first came to prison in March 1983 after being convicted for Incest. He paroled from prison one year later but returned in November 1984 following a conviction for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child, a first degree felony conviction.

Corrections officials say that on April 9th 1985, Ritterbush and another inmate were outside the perimeter fences running errands and doing mechanical repairs to motorized carts when they disappeared about 10:00 PM. Officers captured the other inmate a short time later, but Ritterbush remained a fugitive for over 22 years until his arrest today. Utah authorities say they will begin the extradition process.

Oregon State Police Spokesman Greg Hastings says state troopers working in cooperation with the Oregon DMV, Social Security officials and the Clay County, Nebraska Sheriff's Office, arrested Ritterbush today at his Salem area residence. The contact was related to an identity theft investigation.

Hastings says that investigation was initiated October 18th when OSP learned that a man identified as Robert Collins Rhoden was allegedly using the name of a Nebraska resident.

OSP Detective Matt Lawson began an investigation with help from the other agencies and identified a suspect, Hastings said.

"Accompanied by Social Security Administration Agent Kent Zwicker, Detective Lawson contacted the suspect using the name Robert Collins Rhoden at his Salem area home and took him into custody for Identity Theft."

Hastings says that during a subsequent interview, still unaware of Ritterbush's true identity, Detective Lawson asked the suspect if he "was tired of running?" The suspect said he was and identified himself as Ritterbush, admitting he had been on the run after escaping from a Utah prison over 22 years ago.

Using fingerprints, Lawson and Zwicker positively identified Ritterbush through the Automated Fingerprint Identification System and confirmed he was the wanted fugitive from Utah. Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office and Utah Department of Corrections were contacted and confirmed Ritterbush was a wanted fugitive from justice.

"Ritterbush told Detective Lawson that he has been in Oregon for nearly all of the 22 years, most of which was spent in the Salem area where he lived under the alias of Robert Collins Rhoden," Hastings said.

Due to an ongoing investigation, Oregon State Police say they are not releasing Ritterbush's Salem address or other background information. Hastings says additional State and Federal charges may be pending as a result of the ongoing investigation.

Ritterbush was lodged Thursday evening in the Marion County Jail. Anyone with information to assist with this investigation regarding Ritterbush is asked to contact OSP Detective Matt Lawson at (503) 378-3387 ext. 411.