What did Larry Hicks Jr. and Steven Leifeste do? Details explored ahead of In Pursuit with John Walsh

The opening episode of this year's In Pursuit with John Walsh is all set to shed light on fugitive Larry Hicks Jr., who remains at large, and Steven Leifeste, a man who was on the Texas Most Wanted list before being captured in January 2024. Both men have allegedly committed heinous crimes, which will be the central focus of this upcoming episode. Larry Hicks Jr. reportedly stabbed a 45-year-old mother of two, while officials issued a warrant against Steven Clay Leifeste for child s*xual abuse.

In Pursuit with John Walsh will kick off its highly anticipated fifth season with Larry Hicks Jr. and Steven Leifeste's respective cases. The episode will air on May 8, 2024, at 10 pm EST on Investigation Discovery. The synopsis for the episode reads:

"John is on the trail of fugitive Larry Hicks, accused of murdering a devoted mother of two in Plattsburgh, New York. Callahan heads to Texas to shine the white-hot spotlight on accused predator Steven Leifeste."

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The crimes of Larry Hicks Jr. and Steven Leifeste

Larry Hicks Jr. is a 47-year-old Tabor City, North Carolina, native who has been on the run since July 2022. He allegedly stabbed a 45-year-old mother of two Monique Yanulavich to death in her car in the parking lot of Champlain National Bank in Plattsburgh on the evening of July 14, 2022, as per My Champlain Valley News.

After Yanulavich's family could not reach her or find her on July 14, 2022, they informed the authorities. Officials found her stabbed to death on the same evening. An autopsy soon confirmed that it was a homicide and she had been stabbed to death.

Larry Hicks Jr., who was allegedly romantically involved with her, became the chief suspect. Authorities allege that he was last seen boarding a bus in Corpus Christi, Texas, which was bound for Brownsville, Texas. The authorities have been on the lookout ever since, but he remains at large.

Earlier this year, a grand jury indicted the man in connection to the death of Monique Yanulavich. There is a warrant out for his arrest.

As per My Champlain Valley News, before the murder of Monique Yanulavich, Hicks was previously charged in Darlington County, South Carolina, with the murder of Michelle Jacobs Suggs, in 2005. He was ultimately convicted of involuntary manslaughter after a witness withdrew their testimony, leading to a five-year prison term.

As for Steven Clay Leifeste, there is much less information available about his alleged victim(s). The 45-year-old convicted individual has a criminal history dating back to 2012. He was convicted of failure to stop and render aid resulting in serious injury or death and aggravated assault causing bodily injury. He was then sentenced to four years in prison, as per SBG San Antonio.

After a period of dormancy, Steven Leifeste resurfaced in 2021, with the authorities charging him with the unauthorized use of a vehicle. The same year, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office issued multiple arrest warrants for Leifeste, which included a misdemeanor warrant for evading arrest and a probation violation warrant, as per KWTX. The publication also reported that in 2022, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office issued a warrant against Leifeste for child s*xual abuse.

Though he remained on the run for a while and was also on the top 10 wanted list in Texas, he was finally arrested on January 26, 2024, in Moore, Texas, as per KWTX.

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Individuals can learn more details about these criminals in the upcoming episode of In Pursuit with John Walsh.