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FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive Alejandro Rosales Castillo Captured in Mexico
FBI ^ | 17 January 2026 | Shelley Lynch

Posted on 01/17/2026 6:15:29 PM PST by WhiteHatBobby0701

FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr., and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) Chief Estella D. Patterson announce the capture of Ten Most Wanted Fugitive Alejandro “Alex” Rosales Castillo. Castillo was seen on surveillance video crossing the border from Nogales, Arizona, into Mexico, on August 16, 2016. For nearly ten years, special agents and CMPD task force officers in Charlotte have worked countless hours to develop leads to locate Castillo, ultimately uncovering where he has been hiding the past several years.

Castillo was captured in Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico, on January 16, 2026. The FBI’s Law Enforcement Attache Office in Mexico City coordinated with Agencia de Investigación Criminal-INTERPOL (AIC-INTERPOL) Vetted Team and the Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana (SSPC). Castillo is detained in Mexico City pending extradition proceedings to North Carolina.

Castillo was added to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list on October 24, 2017. Castillo is charged with murdering 23-year-old Truc Quan “Sandy” Ly Le. The Charlotte, North Carolina, woman’s body was found on August 17, 2016, in a wooded area in Cabarrus County. A state arrest warrant was issued in the District Court of North Carolina, for Mecklenburg County on November 2, 2016, charging Castillo with first-degree murder. On February 10, 2017, a federal arrest warrant was issued in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, charging Castillo with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

“Alejandro Castillo’s arrest is the fifth Ten Most Wanted Fugitive captured under this administration and this FBI since last year - more than the entire previous four years combined. That’s no accident. When you have an administration who gives law enforcement the support to execute the mission, they get the job done like nobody else. This was outstanding work by our Charlotte team, FBI Legat Mexico, local and federal partners, and partners in Mexico - and we can now begin the process of delivering long-awaited justice for Sandy Ly Le’s family,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.

“The FBI and our partners at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department have worked tirelessly to find and arrest Alex Castillo. For more than nine years, he lived a normal life, likely believing he would never be captured, but our experienced investigators never gave up the hunt for justice. Sadly, Sandy’s family began another new year without her, we hope knowing her accused killer is in custody will provide some level of solace now,” said FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr.

“This case shows the power of collaboration among law enforcement agencies at every level,” said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Chief of Police Estella D. Patterson. “Working together, CMPD and our partners will go to great lengths to hunt fugitives down and ensure justice is served. This joint effort sends a clear message that those who commit violent crimes cannot outrun justice. Bringing this fugitive to justice makes Charlotte and other communities safer, and while nothing can heal the loss Sandy’s family has endured, we hope this step brings them some peace.”

“Those who engage in violence will not get away with it — no matter how hard they try. This case is a testament that we will never give up our pursuit of justice,” said Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina

The FBI Charlotte Field Office and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department appreciate the assistance of the Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte Field Office, the U.S. Secret Service, the Government of Mexico, the FBI Law Enforcement Attache Office in Mexico City, the FBI International Operations Division, the FBI Criminal Division, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina, and the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office.

The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list was established in March of 1950. Since then, 537 fugitives have been placed on the list, and 499 have been apprehended or located. Castillo was the 516th person to be placed on the list. Additional information concerning Castillo and the FBI’s list of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives can be found at https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: North Carolina
KEYWORDS: 201608; 20160816; alejandrocastillo; alexcastillo; arizona; caught; charlotte; fbi; fugitive; mexico; murder; nogales; northcarolina; rosalescastillo; sandylyle; trucquanlyle

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A Mexican killer of a young woman in North Carolina has been caught. Lethal injection in Terre Haute?
1 posted on 01/17/2026 6:15:29 PM PST by WhiteHatBobby0701
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To: WhiteHatBobby0701

Ssssh


2 posted on 01/17/2026 6:18:39 PM PST by Big Red Badger (ALL Things Will be Revealed !)
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To: WhiteHatBobby0701

Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord.


3 posted on 01/17/2026 6:27:28 PM PST by crusty old prospector
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To: WhiteHatBobby0701

I bet he thought he’d never get caught.
Surprise! Azzhole!
Good job FBI.


4 posted on 01/17/2026 6:39:07 PM PST by doc maverick
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To: WhiteHatBobby0701

Mexico does not allow extradition to the US for death penalty crimes.


5 posted on 01/17/2026 6:41:38 PM PST by Deaf Smith (When a Texan takes his chances, chances will be taken that's for sure.)
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To: WhiteHatBobby0701
Re: "Lethal injection in Terre Haute?"

Terre Haute is in Indiana.

The murder was in western North Carolina.

If they hold the trial in Asheville, that formerly Conservative city has become a haven for Hard Left young people.

Unlikely you can seat 12 jurors who would support the death penalty for a criminal immigrant.

6 posted on 01/17/2026 6:59:03 PM PST by zeestephen (Trump Landslide? Kamala lost the election by 230,000 votes, in WI, MI, and PA.)
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To: WhiteHatBobby0701
Alejandro “Alex” Rosales Castillo.

Dang! Wasn't he next in line to be mayor of LA?

7 posted on 01/17/2026 7:17:02 PM PST by SuperLuminal (Where is rabble-rising Sam Adams now that we need him? Is his name Trump, now?)
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To: WhiteHatBobby0701
A Mexican killer of a young woman in North Carolina has been caught. Lethal injection in Terre Haute?

Mexico agreed to hand him over to US because US promised Mexico that he will NOT face death penalty...That is the agreement between US and Mexico...

8 posted on 01/17/2026 9:39:22 PM PST by L.A.Justice
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