The person at the center of this case
New Mexico State Police Officer
Homicide · Open - Fugitive at Large
54 years waiting · since 1971
CHARLES LEE HILL
Justice for New Mexico State Police Officer — the trail went cold in 1971, but the truth hasn't.
Start here
Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1What is Charles Lee Hill's current location and identity after fleeing to Cuba in 1971?
👤
person
Lead #2Who were the two accomplices in the hijacking, and were they actually deceased as believed?
🔍
evidence
Lead #3What evidence connected Hill to the police officer's shooting during the traffic stop?
On November 8, 1971, Charles Lee Hill allegedly shot and killed a New Mexico State Police officer during a traffic stop near Albuquerque. Three weeks later, Hill and two accomplices kidnapped a tow truck driver and hijacked a TWA flight from Albuquerque International Airport, eventually escaping to Havana, Cuba. Hill remains a fugitive wanted for murder, air piracy, and kidnapping, with his current whereabouts unknown after more than 50 years.
Case
#914
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); New Mexico State Police; United States District Court for the District of New Mexico
Try asking
Claim this imported case
A one-time $10 claim transfers this imported case workspace to your account. You get 10 uploads for this case, 25 daily AI questions for this case, and public tips with files route to you.
10 uploads25 AI questions/day
This does not start a subscription. When the included limits are reached, the Personal plan unlocks more workspace capacity.
More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
💡
clue
Lead #4Has Hill maintained contact with anyone in the United States or remained in Cuba for over 50 years?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution - Murder; Air Piracy; Kidnapping Caution: Charles Lee Hill is wanted for his alleged involvement in a series of violent crimes that occurred in November of 1971. On November 8, 1971, Hill was allegedly involved in the shooting death of a New Mexico State Police officer during a traffic stop approximately 15 miles west of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
On November 27, 1971, Hill and two accomplices (believed to be deceased), allegedly also kidnapped a tow truck driver at gunpoint and forced him to drive the trio to the Albuquerque International Airport. The three men are alleged to have then hijacked a Trans World Airlines (TWA) flight, re-routing the plane to Tampa, Florida.
After exchanging the hostages for fuel, Hill and his accomplices flew to Havana, Cuba. On November 25, 1971, Hill was charged with murder by the Magistrate Court of Bernalillo District, State of New Mexico, and an arrest warrant was issued the same day for his arrest.
On November 26, 1971, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Hill in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and he was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Additionally, on December 14, 1971, Hill was charged in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, with six counts of possession of unregistered firearms, one count of air piracy, and one count of kidnapping.
Timeline of Events
👤
1971-11-08
Police Officer Shot
Charles Lee Hill allegedly shot and killed a New Mexico State Police officer during a traffic stop approximately 15 miles west of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
🕵️
1971-11-25
Murder Charge Filed
Hill was charged with murder by the Magistrate Court of Bernalillo District, State of New Mexico.
📋
1971-11-27
Kidnapping and Hijacking
Hill and two accomplices kidnapped a tow truck driver at gunpoint and forced him to drive to Albuquerque International Airport, where they hijacked a TWA flight to Tampa, Florida, then diverted to Havana, Cuba.
🕵️
1971-12-14
Federal Charges
Hill was charged in United States District Court with six counts of possession of unregistered firearms, one count of air piracy, and one count of kidnapping.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:November 8, 1971
Last Updated:April 29, 2026
Leave a comment
Comments
Case Information
Incident:November 8, 1971
Last Updated:April 29, 2026