CRIMINAL investigator John Walsh is arguably best known for his hosting duties on America's Most Wanted.
Walsh has helped put over a thousand criminals behind bars with his show — let's take a look at the life and career of the famed host.
Who is America’s Most Wanted host John Walsh?
John Walsh, born on December 26, 1945, is an American TV host and criminal investigator.
He is best known for his role on America's Most Wanted, a reality show he created after the murder of his son, Adam Walsh.
According to his website, he has helped authorities "capture more than 1,200 fugitives and brought home more than 50 missing children".
He was later the host of the investigative series, The Hunt With John Walsh, followed by the series, In Pursuit with John Walsh.
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In 2011, America's Most Wanted was canceled by Fox, however, the show was eventually revived by Lifetime in 2020.
Elizabeth Vargas took over as host with Walsh overseeing the show. The crime reality show later moved back to Fox.
In addition to his career, Walsh has been married to Revé Drew since 1971.
After the murder of their son Adam - who was born on November 14, 1974 - the pair had three more children: Meghan, Callahan, and Hayden.
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What happened to John Walsh’s son, Adam?
On July 27, 1981, the young boy was abducted from a Sears department store in Hollywood, Florida.
Over two weeks after Adam went missing, authorities found Adam's head 120 miles away from his home.
Sadly, the rest of his body was never found.
Many believed notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer abducted Adam, however, police ruled Dahmer out and pinned the murder on another serial killer.
In Decemeber 2008, the police named serial killer Ottis Toole as Adam's killer. Unfortunately, Toole died in prison in 1996.
Walsh became involved in anti-crime activism after his son's death.
Following Adam's death, Walsh founded the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which is advertised as "the nation's largest and most influential child protection organization."
He continued to focus his career on bringing criminals to justice.
As per The Messenger, Walsh said he had plans for Adam's future before his murder.
Walsh said: "I was in the hotel business. I had a couple of partners and we were building a $26 million hotel on Paradise Island. I was very successful at a young age.
"I was a self made man, and I always hoped that Adam would go into that business.
"We had built three hotels. We were going to have ownership in these hotels and someday I would hope that Adam would be the guy that would step into my shoes like Callahan is now."
How can I watch America’s Most Wanted?
News broke that Walsh would be taking over as host alongside his son, Callahan, for season 2 of America's Most Wanted.
Season 2 premiered on January 22, 2024, and fans can catch new episodes every Monday at 8 pm ET on Fox.
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Speaking on his return to the show, Walsh said: "It’s an incredible time for America’s Most Wanted to return to Fox, especially in partnership with my son Callahan, to continue my lifetime’s work.
"I’m in constant awe over how instrumental our loyal viewers are in ensuring we get justice for victims and their loved ones, and today, they have entirely new tools at their disposal to help us fight back and quickly solve even more crimes."
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