US millionaire Peter Chadwick, accused of killing Malaysian wife Quee Choo, caught in Mexico after four years on the run
- Case received renewed attention last year after police released details in true-crime podcast, asking listeners to contact them with information on Chadwick
- Wealthy real estate investor now faces 25 years to life in jail for alleged murder
For years, Peter Chadwick’s whereabouts mystified authorities. Accused of murdering his wife of 17 years in their Newport Beach, California, home, the wealthy real estate investor posted a US$1 million bail, then failed to show up for a pretrial hearing in 2015.
US Marshals investigating his disappearance turned up a handful of clues: Chadwick had emptied bank accounts worth millions of dollars, and left behind books about how to change identities and live off the grid.
“Peter could be anywhere in the world,” Newport Beach Police Chief Jon Lewis told reporters in September. “He’s got the financial means to avoid the restrictions placed on his travel and he’s taken every opportunity to hide his tracks.”
More than four years after he vanished, Chadwick is now back in custody and facing 25 years to life for the alleged murder of his wife, 46-year-old Quee Choo “QC” Chadwick.
Authorities say the 55-year-old was arrested by immigration authorities in Mexico on Sunday and deported to the US. He is no longer listed among the US Marshals’ 15 Most Wanted fugitives.
While Chadwick left leads for law enforcement to make it look like he fled to Canada after skipping a court appearance, law enforcement officials said they believe he has been in Mexico all along.