FBI Captures Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitive in Mexico in 2016 North Carolina Murder Case

After nearly a decade on the run, Alejandro “Alex” Rosales Castillo was arrested in Mexico and is now awaiting extradition to the United States to face murder charges.

By: Haitian Prime News|January 17, 2026|Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico / Charlotte, North Carolina

The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced on Friday that Alejandro “Alex” Rosales Castillo, a fugitive on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list, has been captured in Mexico in connection with the 2016 murder of a North Carolina co-worker.

According to U.S. authorities, Rosales Castillo was arrested on January 17, 2026, in Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico. He had been sought for nearly ten years for the killing of 23-year-old Truc Quan “Sandy” Ly Le, which occurred in 2016.

Investigators stated that a state warrant for Rosales Castillo’s arrest was issued on November 2, 2016. A federal arrest warrant followed on February 10, 2017, and he was officially added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list on October 24, 2017. Authorities had offered a reward of up to $250,000 for information leading to his capture.

The FBI Charlotte Field Office credited a coordinated international effort for the arrest, working alongside Homeland Security Investigations in Charlotte and the FBI Legal Attaché office in Mexico City. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Chief Estella D. Patterson praised the joint operation, highlighting the sustained cooperation between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement agencies.

Rosales Castillo is currently detained in Mexico as extradition proceedings move forward. U.S. officials said that once extradited, he is expected to be transferred to the Western District of North Carolina, where prosecution will proceed.

Authorities noted that the arrest reflects broader law enforcement efforts and strengthened cooperation between the United States and Mexico in locating and apprehending fugitives on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list.

Sources
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
U.S. Department of Justice
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department
U.S. Homeland Security Investigations