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‘Butch’ Knight: New tips from investigators 2 years after fleeing

Posted at 9:24 PM, Jan 11, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-11 22:19:34-05

ALLEGAN, Mich.—This week marks two years since Harold "Butch" Knight called police to say he killed his wife and ran away. And despite some significant roadblocks, local law enforcement isn't giving up their search.

Investigators say Knight killed his wife on January 11th, 2015 and was spotted in Maine two days later on January 13th. That was the last known sighting of now-68-year-old Knight. While Knight seemed to escape without a trace, investigators are still looking for answers wherever it might take them. Some tips have taken them as far as Alaska.

Now they have some new information they want to share with the public about how you can identify Knight if you ever cross his path.

Steve Hetherington, the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force Supervisor, is surprised that in this digital age, Knight has managed to stay under the radar. Investigators haven’t cut a break since they spotted Knight at a Wal-Mart and hotel in Maine. There, they also found his wife's car left behind in a parking lot.

“In the last year we have pretty much followed up leads from coast to coast. From North Carolina to Texas to the West Coast and in between, all the way up to Alaska,” said Hetherington.

No tips they have received are coming to a big break in the case yet.

"Knight looks like everyone’s 68-year-old grandfather or father, so it’s a little bit difficult,” said Hetherington. “He looks like your general person that is a white male and 68-years-old.”

Hetherington says Knight has more than luck on his side. He’s a known loner, and has skills that would allow him to find work that would pay cash under the table hence keeping his identity and whereabouts under wraps.

“He is a pretty accomplished wood worker. He did time in the Navy. He has a computer background. He’s got training in accounting. He was a truck driver for a number of years,” Hetherington said.

There are a few things investigators shared with us Wednesday that you might not know about Knight; information that might help identify him even if he's changed his name or hair color.

“He is hard of hearing, so you know, if someone knows or is in frequent contact, he is hard of hearing,” Hetherington.

In addition, he has a scar on his stomach. Investigators said you might be able to spot him at a specialty market, because at the time of the murder, he was into health foods. He would frequently order health foods online, or go to specialty health stores. Hetherington said these few things might help make all the difference in ending Knight’s disappearance act, especially if he's made friends who are unaware of what he has done.

Police do not believe he is still in West Michigan at this time.