Assata Shakur, also known as Joanne Chesimard, died on Thursday in Havana, Cuba, from health problems related to her advanced age. She was 78 years old at the time of her death. Shakur had been living in exile in Cuba since 1984 after escaping a U.S. prison where she was serving a life sentence for the 1973 murder of New Jersey state trooper Werner Foerster during a shootout. The Cuban government confirmed her death, citing "health conditions and advanced age" as the cause. Her daughter also publicly confirmed the news. Shakur's life was marked by her activism as a member of the Black Liberation Army and her fugitive status due to her conviction and escape from prison.