"America's Most Wanted" All-Star Finalists: Eight First Responders Vie For Title And Cash Prize In Contest Sponsored By Sprint

Television's top crime-fighting show, America's Most Wanted, asked Americans to help give special recognition to the police, firefighters, EMTs and other first responders who are dedicated to protecting us by nominating their favorite hero for the AMW All-Star Award. The public responded by submitting the names of hundreds of brave men and women. Through online voting, Americans selected eight weekly finalists. Now, the public is voting to choose the Grand Prize Winner: the 2011 AMW All-Star.

Voting in the seventh annual AMW All-Star Contest, sponsored by Sprint, is simple, and members of the public may vote once a day, every day, at the America's Most Wanted website, www.amw.com, or by text message from your Sprint phone (details on how to vote by text message are available at the AMW website and standard text messaging charges apply). Voting for the Grand Prize winner closes on May 8. The winner will be announced shortly thereafter, and will be featured in an episode of America's Most Wanted to air Saturday, June 4, 2011 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT on FOX).

The eight finalists are:

• Tommy Norman, a North Little Rock, Arkansas police officer who builds strong community relationships through community service; • Bret Farrar, the Lakewood, Washington Police Chief who helped his community heal after the tragic shooting deaths of four of his officers; • Stan Bennett, a Wrightwood, California Sheriff's deputy, who assisted at the scene of a head-on collision and supported a teen's inspiring recovery; • Carolyn Gudger, a Blountville, Tennessee deputy who put herself in the line of fire to protect the high school's principal from an armed intruder; • Kevin Margetic, a paramedic, police officer and firefighter from Beaver, Pennsylvania who has dedicated his life to protecting and serving his community; • Jacob LaFerriere, a Minneapolis, Minnesota firefighter who didn't let a back draft explosion stop him from returning to work and following in his father's footsteps; • Suzie Johnson, a Hyattsville, Maryland detective who works well beyond the badge serving her community; and • Yuri Melich, an Orange County Florida Sheriff's detective whose investigative skills get swift justice for victims.

AMW Host John Walsh will present the 2011 AMW All-Star with a check for $10,000 at a ceremony during Police Week in Washington, DC and the winner will also receive a trip to the NASCAR SPRINT Cup Series™ All-Star Challenge at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina.