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Photo Gallery: The Most Notorious FBI 'Top Tenners' For decades, the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted," list has been used by the bureau to track down some of America's most notorious fugitives. NPR profiles a few of the most famous people to appear on the list in the last 60 years.

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Photo Gallery: The Most Notorious FBI 'Top Tenners'

  • William "Willie" Sutton, listed 3/20/1950-2/18/1952: Sutton was a prolific criminal who stole a total of $2 million from more than 100 banks. Though he was quoted as saying he robbed banks because "that's where the money is," Sutton denied uttering the famous phrase. At the time of his capture, he was the most celebrated criminal in America. Sutton ended up in prison a number of times bu...
    William "Willie" Sutton, listed 3/20/1950-2/18/1952: Sutton was a prolific criminal who stole a total of $2 million from more than 100 banks. Though he was quoted as saying he robbed banks because "that's where the money is," Sutton denied uttering the famous phrase. At the time of his capture, he was the most celebrated criminal in America. Sutton ended up in prison a number of times but managed to escape. He was arrested the last time in 1952.
    Serri Graslie, Claire O'Neill, Amanda Steen
  • James Earl Ray, listed 4/20/1968-6/8/1968:Ray assassinated Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. He was captured a few months later but made his second appearance on the FBI's most wanted list when he escaped from prison in 1977. He was recaptured three days later.
    James Earl Ray, listed 4/20/1968-6/8/1968:Ray assassinated Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. He was captured a few months later but made his second appearance on the FBI's most wanted list when he escaped from prison in 1977. He was recaptured three days later.
    Serri Graslie, Claire O'Neill, Amanda Steen
  • Angela Davis, listed 8/18/1970-10/13/1970:Davis was a political activist and scholar who landed on the list in 1970 when guns registered under her name were used in a courtroom shooting. She was acquitted at trial.
    Angela Davis, listed 8/18/1970-10/13/1970:Davis was a political activist and scholar who landed on the list in 1970 when guns registered under her name were used in a courtroom shooting. She was acquitted at trial.
    Serri Graslie, Claire O'Neill, Amanda Steen
  • Bernardine Dohrn, listed 10/14/1970-12/7/1973:Dohrn was a co-founder of the radical organization Weather Underground and was sought by the FBI because of her involvement with the group. She was removed from the list after three years.
    Bernardine Dohrn, listed 10/14/1970-12/7/1973:Dohrn was a co-founder of the radical organization Weather Underground and was sought by the FBI because of her involvement with the group. She was removed from the list after three years.
    Serri Graslie, Claire O'Neill, Amanda Steen
  • Leonard Peltier, listed 12/22/1975-2/6/1976:Peltier was a Native American activist convicted of killing two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in 1975. He was apprehended in Alberta by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
    Leonard Peltier, listed 12/22/1975-2/6/1976:Peltier was a Native American activist convicted of killing two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in 1975. He was apprehended in Alberta by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
    Serri Graslie, Claire O'Neill, Amanda Steen
  • Theodore Bundy, listed 2/10/1978-2/15/1978:"Ted" Bundy was a serial killer who murdered at least 30 women in the 1970s. He was captured in Florida after being stopped for speeding while driving a stolen vehicle.
    Theodore Bundy, listed 2/10/1978-2/15/1978:"Ted" Bundy was a serial killer who murdered at least 30 women in the 1970s. He was captured in Florida after being stopped for speeding while driving a stolen vehicle.
    Serri Graslie, Claire O'Neill, Amanda Steen
  • Ramzi Yousef, listed 4/21/1993-2/7/1995:Yousef was one of the main conspirators in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. A year after he fled to Iraq, he assembled and planted a bomb on a plane bound for Tokyo. He was captured in Pakistan in 1995.
    Ramzi Yousef, listed 4/21/1993-2/7/1995:Yousef was one of the main conspirators in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. A year after he fled to Iraq, he assembled and planted a bomb on a plane bound for Tokyo. He was captured in Pakistan in 1995.
    Serri Graslie, Claire O'Neill, Amanda Steen
  • Osama bin Laden, listed 6/7/1995-5/1/2011:Bin Laden was initially wanted in connection with the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Africa that killed more than 200 people. He remained on the list after being connected to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs during an ambush on his Pakistan compound in May 2011.
    Osama bin Laden, listed 6/7/1995-5/1/2011:Bin Laden was initially wanted in connection with the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Africa that killed more than 200 people. He remained on the list after being connected to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs during an ambush on his Pakistan compound in May 2011.
    Serri Graslie, Claire O'Neill, Amanda Steen
  • Eric Rudolph, listed 5/5/1998-5/31/2003:Rudolph was known as the "Olympic Park Bomber," for the bomb he created and detonated at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. After the Olympics, he also set off bombs at abortion clinics and a lesbian bar in the South. Rudolph was captured after he was arrested while dumpster-diving in North Carolina.
    Eric Rudolph, listed 5/5/1998-5/31/2003:Rudolph was known as the "Olympic Park Bomber," for the bomb he created and detonated at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. After the Olympics, he also set off bombs at abortion clinics and a lesbian bar in the South. Rudolph was captured after he was arrested while dumpster-diving in North Carolina.
    Serri Graslie, Claire O'Neill, Amanda Steen
  • James Bulger, listed 8/19/1999-6/22/2011: "Whitey" Bulger was the head of a major organized crime operation based in Boston. He landed on the list because of his connection to murders in the 1970s and 1980s. Bulger, now 81, was the oldest person to be placed on the FBI's list. He was apprehended in Santa Monica, Calif., after 16 years on the run.
    James Bulger, listed 8/19/1999-6/22/2011: "Whitey" Bulger was the head of a major organized crime operation based in Boston. He landed on the list because of his connection to murders in the 1970s and 1980s. Bulger, now 81, was the oldest person to be placed on the FBI's list. He was apprehended in Santa Monica, Calif., after 16 years on the run.
    Serri Graslie, Claire O'Neill, Amanda Steen

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How is the list decided?

The Criminal Investigative Division of the FBI surveys its different field offices to look for candidates when a fugitive on the existing list is apprehended. Those nominations are reviewed by different departments in the FBI and ultimately approved by the bureau's director.

To get on the list, the fugitive needs to have a long criminal history and/or be considered dangerous. The FBI also weighs whether nationwide publicity would help in apprehending the person — in other words, the fugitive shouldn't already be notorious due to existing media coverage.

A fugitive can be removed from the list for three different reasons — if they are captured, if federal charges are dismissed, or if they no longer fit the criteria of the list. In the last 60 years, six fugitives have been removed prior to capture because they were no longer considered "particularly dangerous" by the FBI.