The Rapid City Police Department in conjunction with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office and US Marshal’s Service arrested David Wayne French, age 48, on 11-15-07 at 3:00 p.m. on an outstanding murder warrant from Portland, Oregon. In May 2007, officers from the Portland, Oregon Police Department began working with local law enforcement in an attempt to apprehend French. French previously resided in Rapid City and was last known to be in the area in 2001. On 11-03-07 the Portland Police Department profiled their murder case on the television show America’s Most Wanted in an attempt to locate French.

                                                          

On 11-13-2007 the Rapid City Police Department received a citizen’s tip that French was possibly in Rapid City. Through further investigation, we verified that he was in Rapid City and we began soliciting the help of local businesses to help locate him. On 11-15-07 at 2:45 p.m. we received a citizen’s tip that French was on foot in the downtown area. At 3:00 p.m. French was spotted by law enforcement in the parking lot of Albertson’s at 855 Omaha Street in Rapid City.   He was immediately taken into custody. French did not attempt to flee or resist arrest. He is currently in custody at the Pennington County Jail.

 

The public’s assistance on this fugitive case was incredibly valuable. Without the two citizen’s tips, the investigation no doubt would have been lengthy and French potentially could have fled the area before law enforcement could locate him.