American fugitive Seth Walls, suspected of murdering 15-year-old girl, arrested in central Ljubljana
Seth Walls, 23, facing a murder charge in Tennessee, was arrested on 12 September in central Ljubljana. He was identified by fingerprints through Interpol.
Fugitive from Tennessee arrested in Ljubljana after three years on the run
On the evening of 12 September, Slovenian police stopped a man without identification documents in central Ljubljana who identified himself as a Canadian citizen. According to reports by Slovenske novice.delo.si, officers discovered through checks that he was an American citizen for whom an international warrant had been issued through Interpol.
The man was Seth Walls, a 23-year-old from Tennessee, charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His true identity was definitively confirmed by fingerprints provided by Interpol. Following his arrest, the American Interpol office was notified of the matter, and Walls was brought before the competent court, which ordered him remanded in custody.
Death of 15-year-old Haley Reedy in 2022
The case dates back to 11 September 2022, when 15-year-old Haley Reedy was shot in a house on Clear Creek Drive in Millington. Walls, who was 19 at the time, claimed after the incident that the girl had shot herself or that it had been an accident. A subsequent forensic investigation revealed a different picture: the bullet entered behind her right ear and exited near her left temple at a downward angle. Investigators determined that the injury was not consistent with self-infliction, and the death was classified as murder.
Walls was initially charged with a lesser offence, and then with second-degree murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. After his initial arrest, he was released on bail of 10,000 dollars but failed to appear in court and became a fugitive.
Three years under a false identity
After disappearing from the United States, Walls remained hidden under another identity for several years. American authorities lost track of him, and in September 2023 a specialist unit of American marshals tasked with pursuing dangerous fugitives took over the case. When it became clear that he had left the United States, Interpol also joined the search. On Wednesday, American marshals officially confirmed that they had arrested him on 12 September in Ljubljana.
Clue to fugitive through Facebook
American media reported on unusual circumstances that apparently led to Walls's arrest. According to their accounts, he had befriended a local resident in Ljubljana who knew him by the name Colt. Later, this person allegedly came across a Facebook post about Haley Reedy's death and the wanted Seth Walls and recognised the man he had met in the city in the photographs. He is also said to have noticed a distinctive rose tattoo on his right arm. He is reported to have informed Slovenian police and the American FBI of his suspicions and provided them with photographs and video recordings. According to this version, he also informed a security guard at a bar where Walls had been staying, and the security guards reportedly held him until police arrived.
Slovenian police did not confirm these details in their response to Slovenske novice. Due to data protection, they did not respond to questions relating to specific or identifiable individuals.
Extradition within the purview of judicial authorities
Slovenian police clarified that they do not themselves decide on Walls's extradition—the extradition process falls within the purview of judicial authorities. The Shelby County American prosecutor's office has stated that it will coordinate with the local sheriff's office on the process of his return to the United States. Walls currently remains in custody in Slovenia.
The case has also resonated in American media. Walls's flight came to an end more than 8,000 kilometres away from Tennessee—in the centre of the Slovenian capital.
Source: Google News SI — Crime (sl)