LAPD Cold Case Unit Arrests Most Wanted New York Murder Fugitive

March 25, 2005

"LAPD Cold Case Unit Arrests Most Wanted
New York Murder Fugitive"
 
Los Angeles: Detectives from the Los Angeles and the New York police departments’ Cold Case Units arrested fugitive Norman "Skip" Dennis at a house in Gardena, California, on March 22, 2005. Dennis was listed as one of New York City’s Top-100 wanted suspects.
In early March, NYPD Cold Case Detective Stefano Braccini called the LAPD Cold Case Unit with information that Dennis was living in Southern California under an assumed name. LAPD Cold Case detectives Cliff Shepard and Jose Ramirez began working the information.
Detective Braccini and his partner, NYPD Detective Dominic Andreno flew to Los Angeles, and the four detectives set out in search of Dennis. In less than seven hours, they found him at the home of an acquaintance in Gardena and arrested him as a fugitive from New York.
Dennis’ run from the law began 19 years ago, March 26, 1986, when his ex-girlfriend, Sharon Copeland, was shot to death in Manhattan.
Dennis admitted to detectives that he was the same Dennis wanted for the Copeland murder. He is currently at the Los Angeles County jail awaiting extradition and a return trip to New York to face murder charges.