Escaped U.S. inmate wanted in killing of top Mexican officer arrested

How communal are situation escapes?

How communal are situation escapes? 03:29

An escaped California inmate who was wanted successful transportation with the death of the person of an elite Mexican constabulary unit was arrested aft a weeklong manhunt, officials said.

Cesar Hernandez, who was serving 80 years to beingness for first-degree execution earlier escaping from custody successful December, was arrested Thursday evening successful the bluish metropolis of Tijuana. He was wanted for the shooting decease 33-year-old Abigail Esparza Reyes, the person of the portion known arsenic "Gringo Hunters," which dedicates itself to arresting U.S. suspects who are fugitives successful Mexico. She was the caput of the portion astatine the bluish borderline authorities of Baja California.

Esparza Reyes died during a shootout connected April 9 successful Tijuana portion the portion was trying to apprehension Hernandez.

Mexican quality outlets, including El Universal, reported that video surveillance showed Hernandez managed to flight portion moving astir bare done the streets earlier ducking nether a tarp that was covering a vehicle. He emerged dressed successful a fluorescent greenish azygous – akin to ones utilized by section postulation constabulary – earlier walking away.

Members of the State Security Agency escort U.S. national Cesar Hernandez, who allegedly changeable and killed Abigail Esparza Reyes, 33, a apical Mexican authorities constabulary serviceman from the elite "Gringo Hunters" unit, which tracks and arrests U.S. fugitives successful Mexico, successful Tijuana, Mexico April 18, 2025. Stringer / REUTERS

"These actions bespeak the outstanding quality and investigative enactment carried retired by unit from the State Attorney General's Office, whose coordinated efforts, tactical investigation strategies and information postulation made it imaginable to accurately find the idiosyncratic arrested today," the Baja California prosecutor's bureau said successful a statement connected societal media Friday.

Officials successful Mexico said Hernandez is facing transgression proceedings and "his ineligible concern volition beryllium determined successful accordance with the law."

Hernandez, 34, was convicted of first-degree execution and sentenced to 80 years to beingness successful prison, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He was connected his mode to Kern County Superior Courthouse for an quality earlier a justice connected Dec. 2, erstwhile helium jumped retired of the van and evaded staff.

Search continues for convicted murderer who escaped custody earlier tribunal quality successful Kern County 00:26

Esparza Reyes had led the determination squad of the portion for 8 years, carrying retired much than 400 operations aimed astatine arresting U.S. fugitives who had fled to Mexico, Reuters reported, citing Mexican authorities.

According to a illustration connected the radical by the Washington Post, Esparza Reyes grew up successful Tijuana and secretly wanted to beryllium a constabulary officer.

In:
• Mexico
• California
• Crime