Fugitive murder suspect captured in northern Washington deported to Mexico to face charges
SEATTLE – A Mexican man captured recently in northern Washington, who is wanted in his native country for homicide, was turned over to Mexican law enforcement authorities Wednesday by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Jose De Jesus Barajas Lopez, 30, was transferred to the custody of representatives from Mexico’s Procuraduria General de la Republica (PGR) and Mexican immigration officials by ERO’s Special Response Team at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
According to an arrest warrant issued by Mexican authorities, Barajas-Lopez is charged with murdering a man in Tecomán, Colima, in 2013. Witness statements accompanying the warrant allege Barajas-Lopez fatally wounded the victim by shooting him multiple times in the chest following an argument near a neighborhood park.
Barajas-Lopez was arrested Aug. 16 in Othello by U.S. Border Patrol agents after the FBI alerted them about the outstanding homicide warrant. Barajas-Lopez was subsequently transferred to ICE custody and placed in removal proceedings. He was ordered removed by an immigration judge last month, paving the way for Wednesday’s repatriation.
“Protecting the American people from violent criminals is our top priority. We did that today by removing another foreign fugitive trying to evade justice by fleeing to the U.S.,” said Bryan Wilcox, acting field office director for ERO in Seattle. “The ongoing cooperation between U.S. law enforcement and our counterparts in Mexico is a testament to our commitment to hold these fugitives accountable for their actions.”
Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 1,700 foreign fugitives from the United States who were sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with the ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Office of International Operations, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the United States.
Members of the public who have information about foreign fugitives are urged to contact ICE by calling the ICE tip line at 1 (866) 347-2423 or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also file a tip online by completing ICE’s online tip form.
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