The hunt for a fugitive ended today after 37 years. Judy Lynn Hayman was arrested for attempted larceny after she attempted to steal clothing from a store in the Detroit area. She was sentenced to a year and a half in jail and was about halfway through her sentence when she escaped from prison.

Hayman was found living in San Diego and going by the name Jamie Lewis. When police knocked on the door of her home, Hayman answered and said that her name was Jamie Lewis. She showed the officers government documents to prove who she was, but the police had a mug shot of Hayman and recognized her.

Police are not sure how long Hayman had been living in San Diego before she was arrested but it appears that she was living a normal life. Now 60, Hayman has a 32 year old son who was visiting her when she was arrested. The police questioned the son, but he seemed confused by his mother’s arrest and had no idea that she was a fugitive who had been on the run for 37 years.

Hayman’s neighbors were equally surprised to find out about her past. One neighbor claimed that she had seen people coming and going from Hayman’s home with laundry and that her son visited her often. She did not think that Hayman had a job and knew her by her alias, Jamie Lewis..

Police have not said what evidence or clues allowed them to find Hayman after all these years. She is currently being held in a San Diego County jail awaiting extradition to Michigan. A court date has not yet been set and it is unclear if Hayman will be sent back to the same prison that she escaped from in 1977.

How do you think Hayman managed to stay under the cops’ radar for so many year?

Image via YouTube.