Lajuan Fitzpatrick Wanted in Drug Hit Murder

LAJUAN FITZPATRICK, a 25-year-old from Danville, IL, is on the run after being indicted for a deadly drug conspiracy that ended in murder. Federal authorities unsealed the charges today, linking Fitzpatrick to a narcotics trafficking ring in northwest Indiana and the South Side of Chicago. The indictment alleges he used a firearm during the crime, resulting in the death of an individual whose identity has not been released.

Fitzpatrick is now a top-priority fugitive, with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) launching a joint manhunt. Law enforcement believes he has strong ties to Gary and Lake Station, Indiana, as well as Danville, Illinois, and parts of Chicago’s violent south side. Authorities warn the public that Fitzpatrick should be considered armed and extremely dangerous.

Residents in those areas are urged to remain vigilant. Anyone with information on Fitzpatrick’s whereabouts is instructed to call the ATF at 800-ATF-GUNS or the FBI’s Hammond office at 219-942-4900. Officials stress: if Fitzpatrick is spotted, do not confront him—call 911 immediately. Law enforcement agencies are coordinating surveillance and intelligence efforts across state lines to prevent further violence.

The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the East Chicago, Gary, and Hammond Police Departments, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, and the Lake County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force. Their combined intelligence led to the federal indictment, which marks a critical escalation in the case.

Prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Nozick and Dean Lanter. If convicted, Fitzpatrick faces mandatory minimum sentences under federal law, with the final determination left to the judge after review of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The charges carry the potential for life in prison.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized that an indictment is not a conviction—Fitzpatrick is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. However, with murder tied to drug trafficking and firearm use, the case stands as one of the most high-stakes manhunts in the region this year.