Russ Arrives to Answer Questions on Wife’s Death

Former fugitive Charles Russ was voluntarily extradited from Florida to San Diego on Thursday, to answer questions in the 1987 slaying of his wife, Pamela Russ. He will also stand trial on charges of defrauding his mother-in-law of her life’s savings.

The 39-year-old former Leucadia entrepreneur stepped off a commercial airliner at Lindbergh Field about 5:15 p.m. Thursday in the custody of two investigators from the San Diego County district attorney’s office, police spokesman Bill Robinson said. Homicide detectives took him to police headquarters for questioning.

After questioning, Russ was taken to Sharp Cabrillo Hospital for routine tests, then booked into County Jail on suspicion of murder, Robinson said.

The badly bruised body of Pamela Russ was found alongside Torrey Pines Road south of Del Mar in February, 1987. She had been run over with her Mercedes-Benz, which was found nearby. No arrests were ever made in the 33-year-old artist’s death, but San Diego police have long considered Charles Russ the prime suspect.

Russ was arrested Aug. 24 in Hollywood, Fla., after the broadcast of an “America’s Most Wanted” television show that depicted him as the probable slayer of his wife.

Authorities said Russ had been using the name Patrick Donovan and was living with a 20-year-old hotel employee, Alisa Noveshen, shortly before his apprehension. Noveshen was arrested on a federal charge of harboring a fugitive.