Salt
Lake City, UT – A suspect wanted in one of the most merciless,
senseless murders in this city’s history has been captured in his
native Mexico. U.S. Marshals today announced the arrest of “Top 15
Most Wanted Fugitive” Miguel Mateos-Martinez near Ensenada, Mexico
last Sunday evening.
The arrest of Mateos-Martinez, 20, by an Agencia Federal de
Investigacion (AFI) squad took place without incident near a
residence where the fugitive was staying. The Marshals worked with
Mexican authorities to develop leads which pinpointed Mateos-Martinez’s
whereabouts. Much of the information provided Mexican authorities on
Mateos-Martinez was the result of a joint investigative effort
involving the Salt Lake City Police Department, the U.S. Marshals
Service, the U.S. Attorneys Office and the Salt Lake District
Attorneys Office. Mateos-Martinez was transported to - and is
currently being held - in a Mexico City prison.
While committing an armed robbery in Salt Lake City, Miguel Mateos-Martinez
allegedly shot a store owner to death, despite her full cooperation
with his demands for money. This crime was particularly brutal as
the proprietor was shot in front of her two young siblings. This
cold-blooded killing prompted the Marshals to add Mateos-Martinez to
their “15 Most Wanted Fugitive” list in March this year.
Mateos-Martinez is a documented member of the local Los Mexicana
Locos Sureno street gang in Utah, with a violent criminal record
despite his youth. He was wanted in the District of Utah for
unlawful flight to avoid prosecution with an underlying state charge
of aggravated murder and armed robbery. The driver of the get-away
car used in this crime was arrested shortly after the crime.
“Once again, we are greatly appreciative of the extraordinary
efforts made by Mexican authorities in apprehending one of our most
wanted fugitives,” said United States Marshals Service Director John
Clark. “The unimaginable crime committed by this individual assured
that wherever he went he would be pursued. As many fugitives have
learned in recent months, Mexico is no safe haven from justice.”
For more information, go to the U.S. Marshals web site at
www.usmarshals.gov.
Original News Release
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