A man who allegedly spent decades evading justice after killing his roommate—the frontman of a Detroit punk rock band—has been arrested overseas, federal authorities announced.
Arrest in Panama
Richard Werstine, 56, was taken into custody in Panama by the U.S. Marshals Service with assistance from local authorities, according to the Detroit News. Werstine was originally arrested and charged days after the 1993 murder of Rodney Barger, the 23-year-old lead singer of Cold as Life.
The Victim: Rodney Barger
Barger, also known by his stage name 'Rawn Beauty', was shot to death while he slept. Described as a 'fabled wild-man vocalist' in a 2023 Revolver Magazine piece, Barger was central to Cold as Life's rowdy shows. The band gained acclaim in 1998 following their debut album, Born to Land Hard. The magazine noted, 'Many of Cold as Life’s craziest stories (intraband brawls, confrontations at shows, heavy drinking) are credited to Barger’s erratic behavior, but his talents as a belligerent vocalist and underclass poet remain obvious.'
Decades on the Run
Werstine failed to appear for his trial in 1994, prompting another arrest warrant that June. For the next 32 years, he used a series of aliases to evade capture. In May 2022, the U.S. Marshals took over the investigation and discovered Werstine had been arrested multiple times under fake names, but authorities never connected the dots. 'He was a ghost since '94,' a federal source told Click On Detroit. 'He was very cunning, very crafty while on the run.'
Capture and Extradition
Using state-of-the-art investigative techniques, U.S. Marshals tracked Werstine to Panama, where he had been hiding. Police in Panama City arrested him at a dog park on April 29. He had fake identification documents, but his fingerprints confirmed his identity. Werstine admitted he was a fugitive and said he illegally entered Panama in 2005. On Saturday, the U.S. Marshals retrieved him with help from the Diplomatic Security Service and Homeland Security Investigations.
'The U.S. Marshals Service takes crimes of this nature extremely seriously given the violent nature of the alleged offense and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution,' said Owen Cypher, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Michigan. 'The dedication of all members of my staff who spearheaded the arrest of this fugitive who has been on the run for over 30 years is a testimony to their resolve. It sends a message to fugitives that there is no place you can hide that the U.S. Marshals Service won't find you and bring you to justice.'
Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Jimmy Allen said Werstine had married in Panama and started 'a whole new life.' 'He had roots in Panama. I think he thought that he would never be caught. You could tell he really wanted to know how he was found and what happened.' Allen expressed relief in bringing closure to Barger's family: 'It’s been 30 years and now they can at least rest their heads at night and have some justice. That doesn’t change what happened, but you know, at least there’s some closure that someone’s going to pay for what they did.' Werstine is now in the United States awaiting extradition to Michigan.
