U.S. Fugitive ‘Psychic’ Caught in Toronto After 21 Years on the Run

A fugitive ‘psychic’ who escaped justice for over two decades is finally in custody. Patrick Lutts Jr., wanted in Florida for a 1998 drunk-driving crash that killed two teenagers, was arrested in Toronto. For 21 years, Lutts lived openly under an alias, working as a self-styled psychic and hosting trivia nights, while evading U.S. authorities.

Drunk-Driving Crash That Sparked a Manhunt

On Christmas Day, 1998, a night of heavy drinking ended in tragedy. Lutts slammed his pickup truck into another vehicle in Orlando, Florida, killing Nancy Lopez (19) and Darvin Javier DeJesus-Taboada (18). His blood-alcohol level was 0.272, more than three times the legal limit.

Facing DUI manslaughter charges, Lutts disappeared before his 2003 plea hearing.

A New Life in Toronto—Hiding in Plain Sight

Despite being a wanted man, Lutts resurfaced in Toronto, blending into city life under the alias Pat Lighthelp. He built a new persona as a psychic reader, offering relationship advice at $4.50 USD per minute on platforms like LifeReader.

He even co-hosted a horror-themed trivia night in the Church and Wellesley area, Toronto’s 2SLGBTQ+ neighborhood. Online, he shared photos of ski trips, concerts, and social events, all while using a fake name.

There’s no evidence his Toronto friends knew about his past.

How Anonymous Tips Led to His Arrest

The long hunt reignited in November 2023, after an anonymous tip from Florida suggested Lutts was hiding in Canada. Authorities traced him to a high-rise in downtown Toronto.

On February 26, 2025, the Toronto Police Fugitive Squad arrested Lutts under the Canadian Extradition Act. He’s scheduled to appear in court later this month.

Interestingly, Lutts’s presence in Canada remains a mystery. Border records show no legal entry. He was even denied entry at Niagara Falls in 2003, two days before his plea hearing, yet somehow made it into Canada.

Not His First Time Evading Justice

This isn’t Lutts’s first escape. After the 1998 crash, he went into hiding but was later caught following another DUI crash in Connecticut in 2002. Though arrested and sent back to Florida, he posted bail and disappeared again.

Authorities had been searching for him since 2003. Until his Toronto arrest, Lutts successfully avoided capture for 21 years.

What’s Next for Lutts?

Florida prosecutors are now working on extraditing Lutts back to face DUI manslaughter charges. Both Canada’s Justice Department and Lutts’s former lawyer have not commented publicly on the case.

For the families of the victims, the long-awaited arrest brings a step closer to justice.

Do you think Canada’s border and immigration systems failed in allowing a fugitive like Lutts to live openly for so long? Share your thoughts below.

More…

• https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/florida-fugitive-arrested-toronto-1.7534663 
• https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6761662