On this day, Feb. 7, in 1988, the ground-breaking reality TV show, “America’s Most Wanted,” made its debut.
The show was the brainchild of host John Walsh, whose 6-year-old son, Adam, was abducted from a South Florida mall and killed in 1981.
On its first episode, “AMW” aired a case about FBI Top 10 fugitive David James Roberts. Calls began pouring into the studio. Roberts had changed his name and was running a New York homeless shelter. Four days later, police found him.
“AMW” was the Fox Television Network’s longest-running program before it was canceled in 2011 and moved to the Lifetime channel. Its studios are housed at the National Crime & Punishment Museum in downtown D.C.
“Americas Most Wanted” has helped capture at least 1,202 fugitives.
– Scott McCabe
