Fugitive Mexican police officer wanted in slaying of 19 migrants arrested in Texas

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A former elite Mexican police officer who was on the run for the horrific slaying of 19 migrants three years ago has been arrested by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Texas.

The now-captured fugitive, who has not been named, was wanted for his role in the bloody massacre which saw 16 Guatemalans, one El Salvadoran and two Mexican citizens murdered in Camargo, Tamaulipas, on Jan. 21, 2021, CBP said in a statement on Tuesday.

The migrants were part of a convoy trying to reach the U.S.-Mexico border when they were intercepted and murdered by police officers. The migrants were shot by police officers, and their bodies were burned, according to CBP.

Customs and Border Protection in Texas with the wanted fugitive.

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Their bodies were discovered in a truck on a dirt road outside Camargo, a town that sits across the Rio Grande from Texas. Shells were not found at the site, leading investigators to believe they were killed somewhere else. The bodies were so badly burned that they could not immediately be identified.

Mexican authorities arrested and convicted 12 police officers for the brutal murders. Eleven former police officers were sentenced to 50 years in prison each, while a 12th officer was sentenced to 19 years in prison.

However, the fugitive police officer fled into the U.S. to avoid criminal charges for his involvement. His exact role in the murders is unclear. 

He was finally located in Kyle, Texas, living in the country illegally and is being processed for immigration proceedings, CBP said. The suspect was a member of the Grupo de Operaciones Especiales, a Mexican police tactical unit that was transferred to the newly formed National Guard in 2022.

Family and friends accompany the coffin of Rivaldo Danilo Jimenez on March 14, 2021 in Comitancillo, Guatemala. Jimenez was one of 19 people shot in the massacre. ( Josue Decavele /Getty Images)

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U.S. authorities met with Mexican officials to carry out his extradition at the Hidalgo Port of Entry, which is located at the northern end of the McAllen–Hidalgo–Reynosa International Bridge, in the city of Hidalgo. CBP released images of the suspect being carried away by authorities. 

Chief Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez said the fugitive was caught thanks to a joint effort between the Rio Grand Valley Border Patrol, the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Detention and Removal, as well as the government of Mexico.

"Joint efforts and collaboration between law enforcement agencies is not only imperative; it’s the cornerstone of safety and security in our communities," Chavez said in a statement. 

"Together we reinforce the bonds of security, fortify communities, and uphold the pillars of safety for all." 

Customs and Border Protection in Texas arresting the former Mexican police officer. (Customs and Border Protection )

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The police had initially argued they were responding to shots fired and believed they were chasing the vehicles of one of the country's drug cartels, which frequently participate in migrant smuggling. The officers were accused of burning the victims' bodies in an attempt to cover up the crime. 

Camargo, the area where the bodies were found, has long been the scene of turf battles between rival drug gangs, and authorities said three rifles were found in the pickup truck where the bodies were piled.

The border town, also a major smuggling transit point for drugs and migrants, is located near the edge of territory historically controlled by factions of the Gulf cartel and in recent years a remnant of the Zetas known as the Northeast cartel has tried to take over.

Fox News’ Christina Coleman, Stephen Sorace and The Associated Press contributed to this report.