Richard Werstine, the suspect in the 1993 murder of Rodney Barger, lead singer of the punk band Cold as Life, has been arrested in Panama after more than 30 years on the run, the U.S. Marshals Service announced.
The killing occurred on September 15, 1993, in Detroit, Michigan. Barger, then 23, was shot in the head while sleeping in the apartment he shared with Werstine. The two were described as close friends and roommates.
Werstine was arrested days after the murder but never appeared in court for trial. A warrant was issued in June 1994. During his years as a fugitive, he used various aliases and was detained multiple times, but his true identity went undetected.
“He’s been a ghost since 1994. He’s very cunning, very slick in how he’s been hiding,” a federal source told local TV station WDIV.
On April 29, Werstine was taken into custody at a dog park in Panama City, Panama, carrying false documents. Fingerprint analysis later confirmed his real identity. Investigators say he admitted he entered Panama illegally in 2005 and never applied for legal status.
The Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team, working with the U.S. Marshals Service and Panamanian authorities, had pursued multiple leads over the past year leading to the arrest.
U.S. Marshals Service Deputy Commander Jimmy Allen of Detroit emphasized: “The persistence and commitment of the U.S. Marshals Service to bring Werstine and others like him into custody is a top priority in our daily mission. This arrest not only brings closure to the victim’s friends and family but also reaffirms our commitment to pursuing those who think they can harm the community without facing justice.”
Rodney Barger, known on stage as Rawn Beauty, was a co-founder of the hardcore punk band Cold as Life in 1988. Revolver magazine once described Barger as a “legendary madman” with “talent as a ferocious singer and gutter poet.”
Police have not disclosed the motive for the 1993 murder.
