FBI Captures Alejandro Rosales Castillo in Mexico After Nearly 10 Years on the Run in 2016 Murder Case

Alejandro Rosales Castillo, who had been listed among the FBI’s "10 Most Wanted," was arrested in Hidalgo, Mexico, on Jan. 16, ending nearly a decade as a fugitive in the 2016 slaying of 23‑year‑old co‑worker Truc Quan “Sandy” Ly Le.

Authorities say Castillo crossed from Nogales, Arizona into Mexico on Aug. 16, 2016, shortly after Le’s body was discovered on Aug. 17, 2016. He was taken into custody in Hidalgo following coordinated work by the FBI’s Legal Attaché office in Mexico City, the Agencia de Investigación Criminal‑INTERPOL Vetted Team and Mexico’s Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana.

Castillo was added to the FBI’s "10 Most Wanted" list on Oct. 24, 2017. A state arrest warrant charging him with first‑degree murder was issued on Nov. 2, 2016, and a federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution was issued on Feb. 10, 2017. He is currently detained in Mexico City pending extradition proceedings to North Carolina.

FBI Director Kash Patel praised the collaborative effort: '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.' FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. added that investigators 'never gave up the hunt for justice' and expressed hope the arrest brings some solace to Le’s family.

Multiple U.S. and Mexican agencies assisted in the capture, including Homeland Security Investigations (Charlotte), the U.S. Secret Service, 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.

According to the FBI, Castillo was 17 at the time of the alleged murder. Investigators say he owed Le about $1,000, arranged to meet her on Aug. 9, 2016 under the pretext of repaying the debt, then allegedly forced her to withdraw additional cash from an ATM. Authorities allege Castillo drove Le to a wooded area outside Charlotte, shot her in the head, and took her car; that vehicle was later recovered at a bus station in Phoenix on Aug. 15, 2016.

Local reporting and charging documents indicate Castillo and Le had previously dated. After the slaying, Castillo reportedly fled the state in Le’s car with a woman identified as Ahmia Feaster; Feaster surrendered in Mexico roughly two months later and was charged with felony accessory after the fact and felony larceny of a motor vehicle. A third individual, Felipe Ulloa, was charged in 2017 with accessory after the fact.

The FBI noted the reward for information leading to Castillo’s arrest had been increased from $100,000 to as much as $250,000. Castillo was the 516th person placed on the FBI’s "10 Most Wanted" list.

Note: Castillo is detained in Mexico City pending extradition to North Carolina. Charges and allegations described here are based on official statements and charging documents; Castillo is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.