TV program targets Pilon and McVean
Copyright © 1998 The Durango Herald. All rights reserved. Nov. 2, 1998

By Megan Graham
Herald Staff Writer

The days of freedom may be numbered for two of America’s most wanted men.

Alan "Monte" Pilon and Jason Wayne McVean, the subjects of a months-long manhunt, were featured on the "America’s Most Wanted" television program Halloween night, and the response has boosted hopes of finding the two suspected cop-killers.

The program aired its fourth segment on Pilon, 31, of Dove Creek and McVean, 27, of Durango. So far, "America’s Most Wanted" has taken 30 phone tips as to the whereabouts of the men. Two of the tips look promising, according to Howard Hay, the show’s associate producer.

"We had a couple of tips last night giving some specific information about two areas," said Hay. "Those two areas ... sound pretty good. The information that was provided sounds credible."

Hay said Cortez Assistant Police Chief Police Russell Johnson was at the program’s Washington, D.C., studio following up on phone calls when the segment aired Saturday.

Johnson could not be reached Sunday for comment.

Police this week will investigate the two locations where callers claimed to have seen McVean and Pilon recently, Hay said.

McVean, Pilon and Robert Mason, 26, of Durango, are accused of killing Cortez police officer Dale Claxton and wounding two Montezuma County sheriff’s deputies May 29. Mason was later found dead east of Bluff, Utah, with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Pilon and McVean have eluded authorities for more than five months.