For two decades, the individual under suspicion served in the law enforcement sector as a police officer.
U.S. authorities in Ohio celebrate a significant triumph: Information from Facebook helps them locate a suspect linked to a 20-year-old homicide in Butler County. The primary suspect, now residing in Mexico, has transitioned into law enforcement.
The long-sought-after target of a two-decade-old murder investigation in Butler County, Ohio, has been apprehended. Antonio R. stands accused of shooting a 25-year-old man in 2004. Following the event, he absconded to Mexico, as confirmed by U.S. investigators in an official announcement. His capture took place in Mexico recently. The investigators expressed shock upon discovering that R. had joined the local police force.
According to the press release, upon R.'s arrest in Mexico, he was transferred to U.S. agents based in Mexico City. Subsequently, he was extradited to Cincinnati, where he was indicted for murder. Antonio R., also known as "El Diablo" by U.S. authorities, is now detained at the Butler County jail.
The suspect allegedly got into a disagreement with the victim, Benjamin B., at a local bar on December 19, 2004, as per WKRC, a local CBS affiliate. The argument escalated outside the bar, leading to R. pulling out a gun and firing at B., hitting him in the face. Surveillance cameras reportedly recorded the incident, and there was evidence indicating that R. had acquired the lethal bullets from a Walmart.
"We had sufficient evidence to make an arrest," commented Mark Henson, a detective working on the case in 2004. "We just needed to locate him." However, finding R. proved to be a daunting task. Initially, he fled to New Jersey before eventually settling in Mexico. His name was featured on the "Most Wanted" list in Butler County, and he became the focus of an episode of "America's Most Wanted," but these efforts failed to lead to his capture for 20 long years.
This year, investigators finally managed to make progress in the case. Clues from Facebook led them to R., who was reportedly residing in the Mexican state of Oaxaca and serving as a police officer. "I couldn't believe it. 'Oh my God, there he is.' He'd aged a bit, but it was him," said Paul Newton, who was involved in the case and currently works for the Butler County Prosecutor's Office.
Upon his arrival at Cincinnati airport following his arrest, R. was greeted by the press. When asked why he became a police officer, he replied in Spanish, "I wanted to help people in Mexico." When questioned about the 20-year-old shooting incident, R. denied any involvement.
The suspect, Antonio R., who was on the run for 20 years following a 2004 murder in Butler County, Ohio, was finally apprehended in Mexico. After eluding authorities in the United States and New Jersey, he settled in Mexico and even joined the local police force.
Following his arrest, Antonio R. was extradited to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he is currently being detained at the Butler County jail for the 20-year-old murder he is accused of committing.
