Features on the new site include the current week's cases, unsolved crimes, an APB system, an interactive crime map of the United States (revealing case activities in different parts of the country) and "The Crimewire" (a late-breaking ticker tape providing 24-hour-a-day information on AMW cases and major criminal activity throughout the country). A preliminary AMW site, launched in December 1996, was one of the first attempts to integrate the program with an accompanying Web presence. The initial effort sparked interest in creating a more aggressive site featuring even greater involvement with the TV show.

Ironically, "America's Most Wanted"'s 500th Capture -- suspected murderess Amy Rica DeChant -- was hiding out in a nudist colony in Florida. "Most of our fugitives try to stay pretty well hidden," says Co-Executive Producer Philip Lermam. "It's kind of fitting that for our five hundredth capture, we found the one fugitive who clearly had nothing to hide." Amy's unusual capture story will be revealed on the Internet and on the TV show this month.

AMW has always worked hard to create new opportunities to catch fugitives. "When I first started hosting America's Most Wanted in 1988," says series host John Walsh, "we were the first interactive television show out there. We worked directly with viewers to help fight crime. For ten years, we've had unprecedented success. Now we're taking that interaction one step further. We're launching a whole new Web site which will break ground in empowering Americans to make a difference -- and to help make the world a safer place."

"We're excited about the new Web site becoming a strong component of the show," says E-Ticket president Rick Gibson. "E-Ticket's goal has always been to bring existing and important communities online, and America's Most Wanted Online will be one of the few places where a Netizen can truly make a difference."