An Ocala man who has been on the run from the U.S. military for 45 years was finally caught on Tuesday.

Linley Benson Lemburg, 75, was found living with his wife by a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy in the 7800 block of Southwest Fifth Place under the alias William Michael Robertson.

The Air Force had been searching for Lemburg since he went AWOL — or absent without leave — in 1972.

Military officials asked the MCSO for their assistance in finding Lemburg and through their investigation were able to find him at his new home.

Lemburg was transported to the MCSO evidence division where their latent print examiners got his fingerprints. The fingerprints were compared to prints already on file with the U.S. Air Force from his enlistment and they matched.

Lemburg was then whisked away by military officials to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa for further investigation.

A military spokesman told the Star-Banner that they're still trying to sort the information and at this time cannot comment.

Air Force officials were not the only ones trying to figure out what to say.

Lemburg's neighbors, who live in a quiet 55 and over subdivision called The Falls, which is near West Port High School, were shocked, surprised and dumbfounded about hearing the news about one of their own.

"I'm totally surprised," Linda Sturgeon said standing at the front of her home.

Sturgeon said her husband played golf with Lemburg and described him as a "very quiet man" and he and his family keep to themselves. She said Lemburg worked at Home Depot for a short time.

Another neighbor, Jack Blanton, a Army veteran, said "its hard to believe" that this is happening to Lemburg.

"He's a real nice person. It's a shock," Blanton said.

Blanton said Lemburg usually puts flags out on certain occasions. For example, he said if it's July 4, he would display the American flag. He also said that Lemburg is very helpful to the neighbors.

"He would clean neighbors' gutters and would help anyone who needed any type of assistance," he said.

Richard Nace calls Lemburg "a stand-up guy," that "would do anything for you."

"Bill is an outstanding citizen, quiet and an all-around good guy. Its a shame what they're doing to him after all these years," Nace said.

Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb.