A fugitive accused of faking his own drowning after allegedly falsely claiming he was wheelchair bound has been captured by the US Marshals Service after more than a year on the run, officials say.
Speaking to Newsweek, a Justice Department official said Gregory P. Heimann Jr., who was arrested in Missouri, is being transported to Maine for prosecution but declined to comment further.
Why It Matters
A warrant was issued for Heimann’s arrest in April 2024 on charges of making false statements after he allegedly falsely told the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) he was wheelchair bound.
Just days later, on April 19, according to federal officials, Heimann disappeared from a canoe near the Canadian border and it was initially believed he’d drowned. However, authorities now believe Heimann faked his own death before going on the run.
What To Know
In a statement released on Monday, the Department of Justice said Heimann had been arrested on August 21 by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) investigators from the Eastern District of Missouri. The arrest took place in La Plata after an investigation led by the USMS Maine Violent Offender Task Force, with assistance from the Maine Warden Service and the Veteran Affairs Office of Inspector General.
Stars and Stripes, a publication which covers U.S. military affairs, reported the arrest took place at an Amtrak train station.
On August 22, Heimann appeared before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and was remanded in custody pending his transfer to Maine, where his original offenses allegedly took place.
According to the Justice Department, in May 2023 Heimann told the VA that he couldn’t stand or walk, and had been wheelchair confined since 2004. However, the department said Heimann was documented walking and standing unaided “on numerous occasions” after he made this claim.
Heimann went missing on April 19 after going canoeing along a river near the Canadian border.
The Marshals Service said: “Over 15 game wardens, dozens of civilians, aircraft, watercraft, and all-terrain vehicles from the Maine Game Warden Service responded to the call and began a search that lasted several days, all in an attempt to find Heimann or recover his body.”
Initially, authorities believed Heimann may have drowned but officials said “after further investigations though it was made to look like a possible drowning, it was determined that Heimann was in fact not deceased and his disappearance was ruled suspicious.”
Stars and Stripes reported that Haimann served in the U.S. army from 1993 to 1997, then in the Army National Guard from 1997 to 2005. He said he suffered a serious injury stemming from a 1995 accident in Hawaii, which was reinjured while on further active duty.
What People Are Saying
In a statement the Justice Department said: “Heimann is alleged to have falsely represented to the VA in May 2023 that he had been wheelchair bound since 2004 and was unable to walk or stand. Before the indictment, Heimann had been charged by federal criminal complaint for the same offense. An arrest warrant issued in April 2024.
“As alleged in the affidavit in support of the complaint, Heimann was documented and recorded walking and standing without the assistance of any mobility devices on numerous occasions in Maine.”
What Happens Next
Heimann will be transported to Maine to face prosecution on charges of making false statements. He has yet to enter any plea.
The post Missing Man Found Alive a Year After Faking His Own Death: Officials appeared first on Newsweek.
