Profile

Name: Joseph Leroy Crouch
Sex: Male
Race: White
Age Now: 66
Height: 5'9''
Weight: 180 lbs.
Hair (Color, Description, Facial Hair): Other\rgray brown
Eyes (Color and Correction): Blue
Wanted for: Murder, Memphis, TN; Jun 25, 2001

Locations

Last seen: Memphis, TN
Possible location: Mississippi New Orleans, LA
Last known: Memphis, TN

Traits

Sings karaoke
Avid golfer
Last seen driving 200 silver Mercury Sable
Hangs out in VIP rooms when gambling
May be with red-headed woman named Dee Dee
Plays golf at private courses as a guest
Has been caught on tape in New Orleans post office
Spotted in New Orleans and possibly Mississippi
Writes letters to his kids near the holidays

Case Story

Business Man Murders Wife in Cold Blood

59-year-old Joseph Leroy Crouch Jr., a prominent business and family man in North Memphis, is wanted for the brutal murder or his wife of 40 years, Betsy Crouch. Crouch owned a seemingly successful Memphis loan/finance company that he ran along with his son. Cops say Crouch liked to show off his money by taking business associates on lavish trips to resort towns to play golf and gamble at casinos. Despite his upstanding image in town, investigators say Crouch was a high roller who gambled his company's money away. Police say he often went on long gambling binges to Las Vegas and Atlantic City, taking up with prostitutes while he was away from his wife, Betsy.

Double Life Leads to Murder

According to officials, by June 2001, Crouch's double-life was starting to crash in on him. Police say he had gambled all of the company's money away and was heading towards bankruptcy, even the DA's office was on to him and threatening to prosecute. On June 25, 2001 after an afternoon of golfing, police say Crouch shot his wife Betsy four times while she lay in bed. He then took the keys to her new 2000 Mercury Sable and unloaded Betsy's golf clubs, so he could put his own clubs in the trunk. He drove off, and cops believe he headed for Atlanta because of the route he took out of town. 

On the Road Again

Once on the road, police say Crouch called his son-in-law, an attorney, and said, \"I just shot Betsy. I'm sorry.\" According to officials he claimed that he didn't want Betsy to suffer the embarrassment of the company's growing debt. Cops say Crouch later mailed his son and daughter suicide and confession letters from somewhere in New Orleans. In the letters, Crouch told him that they should contact him by placing an ad in \"The Commercial Appeal\" newspaper and that he would get the message. Cops believe Crouch is still in the US. He has been spotted by acquaintances at different casinos and still sends packages to his son and daughter from New Orleans. Cops also believe he may be traveling with his favorite prostitute, Dee Dee. So far, the trail has gone cold.