San Francisco Blog

There's no statute of limitations for murder, as evidenced by this wanted poster for accused cop-killer Ronald Stanley Bridgeforth. To the best of our knowledge, the poster is still hanging at Park Station in the city -- though Bridgeforth is accused of masterminding the murder of Sgt. John Young nearly 38 years ago.

Intriguingly, Bridgeforth remains outstanding while eight of his alleged former Black Liberation Army accomplices were arrested two years ago for Young's slaying. Doubtless the fact that Bridgeforth was last seen in Atlanta is useful information (though the poster doesn't note when), as is the fact his aliases include "Big Man" and "Fat Ron." But we're not sure if digitally aging a 1971 photo as if Bridgeforth never changed his shirt, let alone his hairstyle, is going to do much good. If anything, his "after" photo resembles Grady, the good pal of Fred Sanford in Sanford and Son played by Whitman Mayo.

Here's the "old" Bridgeforth:




And here's Grady:



We can be certain, however, that Bridgeforth is not Whitman Mayo. The actor died of a heart attack in 2001 -- in Atlanta, where Bridgeforth was last seen. Incidentally, Mayo died at Grady Memorial Hospital.