Fugitive with fake name found in Georgia escaped custody in Caribbean, feds say
A man accused of murder in Saint Lucia fled Caribbean custody twice, then entered the United States as a fugitive in 2022 under a fake name, according to federal prosecutors.
Now, Orville Andrew Pernell, who’s also known as “Oneil Christopher Reid,” has been indicted on a federal firearm charge in Atlanta after prosecutors said he was found in Georgia.
In a statement to McClatchy News, Pernell’s federal public defender, Ross Brockway, said on May 16 that “our client has led a productive life and has never been convicted of any crime.”
“The allegations against him are just that — allegations — and he looks forward to addressing them in court.”
Pernell, a 32-year-old citizen of Jamaica, is wanted in the killing of Clius Alfred in Saint Lucia on Oct. 8, 2020, according to a May 9 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
“Pernell’s ability to evade law enforcement in multiple countries and unlawfully enter the United States under a false identity underscores the importance of strong global partnerships,” Steven N. Schrank, the special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama, said in a statement.
Escapes custody twice
Ahead of trial in Saint Lucia, Pernell escaped custody while facing a murder charge in connection with the killing of Alfred in October 2020, court documents say.
Nine months later, in July 2021, Pernell was apprehended in Buff Bay, Jamaica, according to federal investigators.
Pernell escaped custody a second time in Jamaica in December 2021 — before he could be extradited to Saint Lucia for the murder case, court documents say.
In December 2022, Pernell tried to illegally enter the U.S., according to prosecutors, near the San Ysidro point of entry, located along the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego, California.
He told immigration authorities his name was “Oneil Christopher Reid” and was allowed into the U.S. “pending further immigration proceedings,” prosecutors said.
Several months later, Pernell caught the attention of sheriff’s deputies in Clayton County, Georgia, according to prosecutors.
Speeding in Georgia
While still using the alias he gave to immigration authorities, Pernell was seen driving more than 115 mph on a motorcycle in Clayton County on July 21, 2023, prosecutors said.
Pernell tried to escape authorities on the motorcycle but had to stop because of heavy traffic at an intersection, according to prosecutors.
Deputies learned the motorcycle he was riding was stolen and found he had a firearm, which was also stolen and came from a shipment of firearms, prosecutors said.
Pernell was ultimately arrested on charges related to the stolen motorcycle, firearm and trying to flee arrest, according to prosecutors.
Then, in February 2025, he was identified as an international fugitive after “‘law enforcement received a tip” about Pernell being in the U.S., court documents say.
Apprehended in Georgia
Pernell was located by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in the Savannah area on April 4 as the result of an “extensive investigation,” ICE announced in an April 14 news release.
Investigators learned Pernell and “Oneil Christopher Reid” were the same person after comparing records of his fingerprints, as well as booking photographs in Clayton County and in Saint Lucia, according to court documents.
Now, he’s been indicted on a charge of “possession of a firearm by an alien illegally or unlawfully present in the United States,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
A judge ordered Pernell’s detainment ahead of trial in the U.S., according to prosecutors.
After his U.S. case is resolved, prosecutors said he’ll be extradited to Saint Lucia.
This story was originally published May 12, 2025 at 11:36 AM with the headline "Fugitive with fake name found in Georgia escaped custody in Caribbean, feds say."
.jpg)