Survivalist Fugitive Accused Of Child Porn Crimes Captured Six Years After He Faked His Death, Authorities Say

An Iowa survivalist set to go on trial on child pornography charges who faked his own death six years ago and escaped the state was recently captured in Washington, authorities said.

U.S. Marshals took Jacob Greer, 28, into custody in Spanaway on April 4, and he was awaiting extradition to Des Moines, KIRO reported.

In April 2016, Greer was arrested and charged with receipt and possession of child pornography and released on bond.

Greer was required to wear an ankle monitor before his trial and allowed to live with his grandmother.

The following month, on May 31, 2016, Greer allegedly took off the ankle monitor, which sent an alert to his probation officer.

Authorities issued an arrest warrant after they located Greer’s abandoned vehicle as well as a suicide note inside.

According to the U.S. Marshals service, Greer purchased a car and fled Iowa, bringing with him a backpack filled with survival gear, including a bow and arrows, and he was last spotted that June 3 in Montana.

Authorities believed Greer was heading to remote areas in the upper western states or Canada to live off the land.

“The arrest of Jacob Greer after six years is a testament to the tenacity of Deputy U.S. Marshals and our investigative partners,” said Ted Kamatchus, U.S. marshal for the Southern District of Iowa. “Even though the case went cold, they would not quit.”