Missing toe key to murder suspect's arrest, authorities say

William Joseph Greer, 52, was arrested in southern Mexico, authorities say. (U.S. Marshal Service)

A man suspected of killing his girlfriend more than 10 years ago was arrested in Mexico on Tuesday. Authorities say they were able to identify the suspect because one of his toes was missing from his left foot.

William Joseph Greer, 52, was arrested in southern Mexico, 11 years after his girlfriend Tammy Marie Esquivel was killed, the Houston Chronicle reported.

The U.S. Marshals Service learned of Greer’s location last week, and worked with the Mexican authorities and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office to track him down. They had apparently identified Greer during surveillance several days before his arrest, the Chronicle reported.

Authorities were able to positively identify Greer after U.S. Marshals asked him to remove his left shoe, revealing that a toe was missing – a characteristic widely publicized when he went missing in 2006.

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