FBI Adds Rockland In-Law Slay Suspect to 10 Most Wanted List

STONY POINT, NY — A man who cops say murdered his daughter-in-law and ran is the latest addition to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Eugene Palmer disappeared into Harriman State Park after the shooting on Sept. 24, 2012 and has not been seen since.

The FBI says Palmer shot and killed Tammy Palmer outside her home near Willow Grove Road in Stony Point moments after she walked her two children to the school bus stop. Reports said Tammy Palmer and her husband were estranged. Palmer is said to have told his niece what he had done before fleeing. His pickup truck was later found near the park.

His family believes he died in the park, but law enforcement officials don't agree. An experienced hunter and outdoorsman, he knew the park well. Investigators think he's living out of state under an assumed name.

The FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force announced Wednesday, alongside the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office and Haverstraw Police Department, that Palmer had been added to list. Palmer is wanted on a federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Rockland County’s District Attorney charged Palmer with second-degree murder in 2012.

The FBI has also substantially increased its reward, now offering up to $100,000 for information leading directly to his arrest.

“After nearly seven years and thousands of hours of investigative work, we hope the addition of Eugene Palmer to the FBI’s Top Ten list will yield substantive tips to this fugitive’s whereabouts," Rockland County District Attorney Kevin Gilleece said. "The Rockland County District Attorney’s Office is extremely grateful for our ongoing partnership with the FBI. With help from the public, I hope we can provide justice for Tammy and her children.”

A witness called 911 when the murder happened back in 2012 in Stony Point, New York. You can hear an excerpt on an FBI podcast.

The caller told the 911 dispatcher, "I heard a shot, a lot of screaming, another shot, no more screaming, and another shot."

Detective Michael Cruger of the Haverstraw Police Department, who responded to the scene, said on the podcast that Palmer allegedly fired three shots at Tammy, who tried to escape the flying bullets.

"This final shot was point-blank range right in the chest as she was lying on the ground," Cruger said.

Palmer is 80 years old and may blend in with a crowd of grandparents, FBI Agent Andrew Fisher said on the podcast. "But we want to make very clear that Eugene Palmer is accused of a tremendously violent act, a murder of a mother of two children."

Palmer is believed to be armed and dangerous. He is 5’10”, with brown eyes and gray hair. His left thumb is deformed. He is known to be an experienced hunter and avid outdoorsman, with an interest in cars and auto racing. Investigators believe Palmer has ties to upstate New York and Florida.

“I would like to thank the FBI for placing Eugene Palmer on the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list," Town of Haverstraw Police Chief Peter Murphy said. "This was a heinous crime that took the life of a mother of two children. Our hope is that the additional federal resources and publicity will lead to his apprehension, thereby providing some closure and justice to Tammy’s family.”

Anyone with information concerning Palmer should take no action themselves, but should immediately contact the nearest FBI office or local law enforcement agency. Tips can also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov. Individuals calling from outside of the United States should contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

SEE:

• Stony Point Man Indicted in Shooting Death of Daughter-in-Law
• FBI Offers $20K For Hudson Valley Suspect In In-Law Shooting