Post by Scumhunter on Mar 16, 2013 20:21:31 GMT -5
Fugitive Profile as of November 10th, 2014 (based on 2011 AMW archive, CNN's "The Hunt", U.S. Marshals wanted posted):
Sex: Male
Race: White
Current Age: 49-51
Height: 6'02"
Weight: 250 lbs.
Hair (Color, Description, Facial Hair): Brown
Eyes:
-Brown
Other Phys. Characteristics:
-Burgert has chronic stomach problems and police say he constantly seeks medication to alleviate his pain.
Traits and Habits:
-Burgert is a skilled survivalist and outdoorsman.
-He has a penchant for guns and is a skilled marksman.
-Burgert has an adamant dislike for law enforcement and vocalizes his opinions openly.
-Police say he may be mentally unstable.
Location information:
Burgert is a survivalist and may have taken refuge in Idaho or Montana's surrounding wilderness.
Possible Locations:
-Colorado
-Canada
-Georgia
-Montana
-Alabama
-Missoula , MT
-Flathead County , MT
-Montana
-Idaho
Who to call if you've seen him: Your local law enforcement or U.S. Marshals in Missoula, MT at (406) 329-3625
UPDATE: As of October 5th, 2022, anyone with information on this fugitive's whereabouts can also call or text "In Pursuit" on the Investigation Discovery channel at 833-378-7783 and/or submit a tip at the show's website: www.InPursuitTips.com
David Earl Burgert, wanted for the attempted murder of Montana law enforcement officers, has been aired multiple times on AMW and was profiled on The Hunt's first season. Below is an AMW archived description of his case:
Montana Manhunt Widens
The Missoula County Sheriff's Office is on a manhunt for David Earl Burgert Jr., a former militia leader convicted of federal firearm violations. Now, Burgert wanted for the attempted homicide of Missoula County Sheriff deputies.
On June 12, 2011, the Missoula County Police Department received a call from a concerned citizen. The tipster alerted police to a suspicious man who had been camping at a nearby rest-stop for several days. Police responded to the call, but had no idea who they were dealing with.
When police arrived at the scene and casually drove by the man, he stood beside his jeep, waving his hand to Missoula County deputies as they passed. But a moment later, the man suspiciously jumped into the driver's seat of his vehicle and took off.
Police followed the jeep and watched the driver run a stop sign, giving them probable cause to pull him over. Officers switched on their patrol lights and prepared to conduct a routine traffic stop.
Whem the driver accelerated to high speeds, Missoula police gave chase, but were too far from the vehicle to immediately call in his license plate. The pursuing officers eventually closed in on the jeep and reported the tag number to dispatch. That's when police realized this wouldn't be a routine traffic stop.
Police believe the man in the car was David Burgert, who was under federal and state probation.
The founder of "Project 7", an anti-government militia group, Burgert led police to desolate roads along the countryside. Police, who quickly became aware of the threat they faced, realized Burgert wasn't going to give up easily. Eventually, Burgert took off down a windy mountain road. The pursuing officers, who prepared for the worst, called dispatch and requested backup not only from their fellow Montana officers, but neighboring Idaho police as well.
Before backup could arrive, Burgert took his jeep off-road. Police alerted dispatch that they believed Burgert sought a vantage point in order to engage them in a shootout. Police say that's exactly what Burgert did.
Atop a hill, surrounded by trees, Burgert fled his jeep and took cover. Police say when he opened fire on the two deputies, officers returned fire. No one was injured during the shootout, but Burgert managed to disappear into the wilderness.
Burgert hasn’t been seen since the firefight and may have crossed state lines. The U.S. Marshals and the FBI have now joined the manhunt for Burgert.
"Project 7" and Burgert's Founding Role
Aside from his most recent debacle, David Burgert is best known for his founding role in an anti-government militia he named Project 7; a name derived from the license-plate number assigned to Flathead County, MT.
Burgert, and a crew of his associates, founded Project 7 in 2001. Officials say Burgert and his militia intended to assassinate law enforcement and political figureheads throughout Flathead County, MT. Authorities believe the end goal was to cause the collapse of state government and force retaliation from the National Guard.
Burgert began preparing his militia, arming them with heavy firepower and massive piles of ammunition. Moving forward with his assassination plans, police say Burgert began collecting information on local law enforcement and government officials. Tracy Brockway, Burgert's girlfriend, served as the key to his success. "She was able to get her hands on information that was very troubling to us; especially lists of officers in the county, list of deputies, their home phone numbers, and unfortunately their home addresses as well," remarks Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry.
Police say Burgert's plan may have succeeded, to some extent, had a young prospect of Project 7 not exposed Burgert's radical intentions.
Police arrested Burgert and his tight-knit crew: Steven N. Morey, James R. Day, John W. Slater, Larry Chezem and Tracy Brockway. When police later searched Burgert's home, they discovered a massive cache of supplies: nearly 30,000 rounds of ammunition, machine guns, rifles, handguns, a silencer, body armor, chemicals for composing bombs, restraints, survival gear, and military rations. Regardless of whether Burgert's plans would have succeeded or not, police say his preparations prove him to be a mentally unstable and a seriously dangerous individual.
Burgert and all of his co-conspirators pleaded guilty to various charges in 2004. Just recently, Burgert was released from prison on probation, which he violated by ceasing contact with his probation officer -- and even more drastically -- by allegedly attempting to murder two Missoula County Sheriff's deputies.
web.archive.org/web/20111029142804/http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=78753#case
missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/anti-government-extremist-david-burgert-s-fate-remains-a-mystery/article_662f6822-8e8b-11e2-a8cf-001a4bcf887a.html?comment_form=true
UPDATE: As of 7/19/2018, Burgert is still listed on the U.S. Marshals website as one of their most wanted fugitives out of the District of Montana: www.usmarshals.gov/district/mt/fugitives/index.html
Admin Note: If you have any news-related updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form
