After 20 years, America’s most wanted fugitive ‘El Diablo’ arrested while working as a cop
Notorious US criminal ‘El Diablo’ arrested in Mexico after two decades on the run, extradited to face murder charges in Ohio.
A man suspected to be one of the most dangerous criminals in America, ‘El Diablo,’ or ‘The Devil’ who was wanted for a bar shooting in Ohio and had been a feature on ‘America’s Most Wanted’ over twenty years ago, has been arrested while working as a police officer in Mexico.
US Agency said, “When Riano was arrested in Mexico, he was found to be working as a local police officer.”
The 72-year-old Antonio Riano, a Mexican citizen, was detained last Thursday in his hometown of Zapotitlan Palmas, Oaxaca, announced the US Marshals. He was extradited to the US to face first-degree murder charges for killing 25-year-old Benjamin Becerra in Cincinnati in 2004. Riano had fled the US after the incident.
Michael T. Gmoser, Butler County Prosecutor, expressed, “This type of apprehension would not be possible without the cooperation and due diligence of both the Prosecutor's Office investigators, the United States Marshal Service, and the United States Department of Justice.”
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El Dibalo extradited to Ohio after 20 years on the run
The Butler County Sheriff's Office had listed Riano on their ‘Most Wanted’ list, and his case was featured on 'America's Most Wanted.' After two decades, authorities discovered Riano working as a police officer in Mexico.
{{/usCountry}}The Butler County Sheriff's Office had listed Riano on their ‘Most Wanted’ list, and his case was featured on 'America's Most Wanted.' After two decades, authorities discovered Riano working as a police officer in Mexico.
{{/usCountry}}Riano’s case started in December 2004 when he had a heated exchange of words with Becerra alongside the Round House Bar in Hamilton, Ohio. Security camera records allegedly showed Riano shooting Becerra in the face during the argument. He then fled the scene in his van.
{{/usCountry}}Riano’s case started in December 2004 when he had a heated exchange of words with Becerra alongside the Round House Bar in Hamilton, Ohio. Security camera records allegedly showed Riano shooting Becerra in the face during the argument. He then fled the scene in his van.
{{/usCountry}}Investigators used video surveillance and witness statements to identify Riano. They found footage of him buying ammunition at a Walmart before the shooting and discovered the suspected murder weapon under his home floorboards.
{{/usCountry}}Investigators used video surveillance and witness statements to identify Riano. They found footage of him buying ammunition at a Walmart before the shooting and discovered the suspected murder weapon under his home floorboards.
{{/usCountry}}However, El Diablo was charged with first-degree murder in 2005 fled to New Jersey then to Mexico, and the case went cold until this year when deputy Marshals discovered Riano’s activity on Facebook and his employment as a police officer in Mexico.
{{/usCountry}}However, El Diablo was charged with first-degree murder in 2005 fled to New Jersey then to Mexico, and the case went cold until this year when deputy Marshals discovered Riano’s activity on Facebook and his employment as a police officer in Mexico.
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Paul Newton, chief investigator for the Butler County Prosecutor's Office, said, “In January of this year, we started actively looking for Mr. Riano again. I'm like, ‘My God, there he is! A little bit grayer, a little bit older, but it was him.’”
Riano was extradited from Mexico City to Cincinnati and is currently in Butler County Jail, awaiting his court appearance on Monday.
