A convicted assassin who escaped from California corrections custody remaining 12 months is thought to have killed the chief of an elite Mexican police unit charged with discovering and arresting fugitive American citizens, officers mentioned.
Government mentioned the unit – referred to as “Gringo Hunters,” which dedicates itself to arresting U.S. suspects who’re fugitives in Mexico – used to be looking to arrest a suspect within the northern Mexican border town of Tijuana when the person opened hearth, hitting and killing 33-year-old Abigail Esparza Reyes.
Esparza Reyes used to be the pinnacle of the unit on the northern border state of Baja California.
Whilst government didn’t identify the suspect, local media recognized him as Cesar Hernandez, who officers in California mentioned escaped custody in December all over a switch to court docket.
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Hernandez, 34, used to be convicted of first-degree homicide and sentenced to 80 years to existence in jail, in step with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He used to be on his method to Kern County Awesome Courthouse for an look prior to a pass judgement on on Dec. 2, when he jumped out of the van and kept away from team of workers.
Months later, on April 9, the so-called “Gringo Hunters” police unit stuck as much as him in Tijuana, Mexico after receiving studies that he used to be in a house there, CBS affiliate KBAK reported.
A shootout erupted and Esparza Reyes used to be fatally shot whilst Hernandez controlled to flee from the scene.
Mexican information shops, together with El Universal, reported that video surveillance confirmed Hernandez controlled to flee whilst operating virtually bare during the streets prior to ducking below a tarp that used to be masking a automobile. He emerged wearing a fluorescent inexperienced uniform – very similar to ones utilized by native visitors police – prior to strolling away. Hernandez stays at massive and a manhunt is underway.
Marina del Pilar, the governor of Baja California, posted a message on social media providing her condolences for Esparza Reyes’ demise.
“To the circle of relatives and family members of Officer Abigail, we acknowledge your bravery and determination within the carrier of your state,” she mentioned. “Abigail’s existence shall be commemorated, and her demise is not going to cross unpunished.”
Esparza Reyes had led the regional workforce of the unit for 8 years, sporting out greater than 400 operations aimed toward arresting U.S. fugitives who had fled to Mexico, Reuters reported, mentioning Mexican government.
In step with a profile at the workforce through the Washington Post, Esparza Reyes grew up in Tijuana and secretly sought after to be a police officer.
The U.S Marshals, who had been within the house of the edge however “no longer concerned within the capturing,” mentioned in a remark its brokers helped render assist to Esparza Reyes prior to she died from her accidents.
“We mourn her loss along side her circle of relatives, pals and co-workers,” the remark mentioned, in step with KBAK. “We can proceed to help our global companions with the related investigations. Those that devote violence in opposition to legislation enforcement officials shall be held responsible.”
