A former Charleston Police Officer, who evaded capture for years after being accused of his wife’s murder, has been extradited back to the United States following his arrest in China.
Dan Hiers Jr., who gained notoriety when he was listed among the U.S. Marshals 15 Most Wanted in 2005, was detained on July 22 by U.S. Marshals in Shanghai. This development was confirmed by an official statement from the agency.
The 53-year-old is facing serious charges, including a warrant from Dorchester County for criminal sexual conduct with a minor and another for murder from Goose Creek.
Hiers’ last known sighting was on March 15, 2005, coinciding with the tragic discovery of his wife, 24-year-old Ludimila Hiers, in their Goose Creek, South Carolina residence. Authorities reported that she had been shot in the back of the head while she slept.
Previously a Charleston Police Department officer, Hiers was suspended in 2004 after accusations emerged regarding his involvement in sexual misconduct with a minor in Dorchester County. That same year, the North Charleston Police arrested him for lewd acts against a child under 16, though he was subsequently released on bond.
Hiers was expected to surrender to authorities on March 15, 2005, to face additional charges, but the U.S. Marshal’s Service said he failed to meet his attorney at the sheriff’s office and went on the run.
“He was contacted about coming to the sheriff’s office to turn himself in. It’s very common practice, particularly already under charges, as he was at the time,” retired Dorchester County Sheriff Ray Nash explained to WCBD. “My understanding is that he did not show up for that meeting. And so officers went out to his residence to try to locate him on the street. That’s when they found the situation involving his wife.”
The case quickly garnered media attention, with Hiers’ case being featured numerous times on America’s Most Wanted and The Hunt with John Walsh.
“This hit the headlines very quickly, as I remember,” Nash told the outlet. “It was very traumatic for the community.”
For years, investigators tried to find Hiers. According to the U.S. Marshal Service’s Most Wanted poster, Hiers had 11 years of experience as a police officer and was proficient in police tactics and procedures.
“He is also trained in martial arts and maintains a high level of physical fitness,” they said. “Hiers has stated that he will not go to prison, is possibly suicidal, and may forced an armed confrontation.”
In 2018, he was captured in China after a woman recognized him as her former English teacher, according to WCSC and Bluffton Today.
It would take years, however, until he would be transported back to the United States.
“Dan Hiers was in a position of public trust, but he betrayed that trust in the worst possible way,” Director of the U.S. Marshal Service Gadyaces S. Serralta remarked in the release. “Placing him on our 15 Most Wanted list made his capture a priority for this agency. His return to South Carolina is both significant and rewarding, and we thank our domestic and international partners for their tireless persistence in bringing this fugitive to justice.”
Director of the Diplomatic Security Service Nicolas Collura thanked the U.S. Marshals Service and Chinese law enforcement authorities for ensuring “Dan Hiers finally answers for his crimes.”
“Our special agents overseas work tirelessly every day, tracking fugitives who believe distance and time will protect them,” he added. “Their dedication, alongside our partners, proves that no fugitive is beyond the reach of American justice.”
In a post on Instagram celebrating the case milestone, authorities said they were able to return Hiers to the U.S. after “a lengthy investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service.”
It’s expected that Hiers will be returned to South Carolina to face the charges against him. It’s unclear whether he has retained an attorney.