Alleged Army deserter lived in small Indiana town under fake name for 17 years (officers, apartment)

[Poncho_NM]

Police: Alleged Army deserter lived in small Indiana town under fake name for 17 years
Vic Ryckaert, Indianapolis Star, Updated 10:58 a.m. ET Jan. 4, 2019


https://www.indystar.com/story/news/...rs/2480588002/


Robert Eugene Bowmen had been living a lie in Clinton, Indiana, for nearly two decades, police said.

That lie unraveled last week when officers discovered his real name is Robert Eugene Brodbeck, 46, and he was wanted for deserting from the U.S. Army in 2000.

"He's lived here for 17 years," said Larry Keller, dispatcher and records clerk for the Clinton Police Department.

He lived under the radar in this western Indiana town of about 4,800 residents, about 15 miles north of Terre Haute. No family. No car.

"He worked jobs in things where he was paid in cash," Keller said. "Nothing that ever required a Social Security number. He lived in a low-rent apartment. He walked everywhere and never had a driver's license. He was really no trouble."

Brodbeck worked as a dishwasher at an Italian restaurant, Keller said. He got into a tussle with a co-worker on Dec. 26 and voluntarily came to the police station to talk to officers about the incident, Keller said.

He gave the name Bowmen, Keller said, but nothing showed up on any of the police databases.

Officers knew he was lying. They were preparing to arrest him for giving false information when Brodbeck broke down and gave officers his real name.

They learned that Brodbeck had deserted from the Army 18 years ago and was also wanted on warrants out of Texas for eluding police and failure to appear in court.

Brodbeck was booked into the Vermillion County Jail Thursday, where he was being held while awaiting extradition by the U.S. Marshall's Service, Keller said.