“America’s Most Wanted” Fugitive Found Working As A Cop In Mexico, Arrested

He is now being extradited from Zapotitlan Palmas to the Butler County Jail

A Mexican national and one of “America’s Most Wanted” fugitives for 20 years, was captured in Mexico while working as a police officer. According to the New York Post, Antonio ”El Diablo” Riano was handed over to deputy US Marshals in Mexico City and charged with first-degree murder stemming from a 2004 fatal shooting outside a bar in Ohio.

On December 19, 2004, a deadly altercation occurred at the Round House Bar in Hamilton, Ohio, resulting in the tragic death of 25-year-old Benjamin Becerra. A few weeks prior, Mr Becerra was involved in a brawl at the same bar and was asked to leave.

On the day of the shooting, Mr Becerra returned to the bar, where Riano was assisting the bartender. A brief argument ensued between them, resulting in Riano fatally shooting Mr Becerra in the head at approximately 2:20 p.m.

Riano fled the scene in his van but was later identified through witness statements and surveillance footage showing him purchasing ammunition at a Walmart just 45 minutes before the shooting. A Grand Jury indicted him on first-degree murder on February 16, 2005, but he failed to appear at his scheduled arraignment. Instead, he fled to Mexico to escape prosecution.

He was placed on Butler County Sheriff’s Office’s “Most Wanted” list and was also profiled on a 2005 episode of ”America’s Most Wanted.”

On Thursday, Riano was apprehended in Mexico, where he was working as a police officer, and handed over to deputy US Marshals in Mexico City.

”Over 20 years after the shooting the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office teamed up with the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs who worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Riano. When Riano was arrested in Mexico he was found to be working as a local police officer,” the US Marshals Service said.

He is now being extradited from Zapotitlan Palmas to the Butler County Jail, according to the U.S. Marshals Service and Butler County Prosecutor’s Office.