Antonio Riano, a U.S. fugitive nicknamed “The Devil” and once featured on “America’s Most Wanted,” has been apprehended in Mexico after nearly two decades on the run. The 62-year-old was found working as a local police officer in his hometown of Zapotitlan Palmas, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.
The United States Marshals Service announced Riano’s arrest on Thursday, marking the end of a manhunt that began in 2004. Riano had been charged with the murder of 25-year-old Benjamin Becarra outside the Roundhouse Bar in Hamilton, Ohio. After the murder weapon was discovered in Riano’s bathroom, he fled the United States, allegedly to evade prosecution.
Riano’s notoriety grew when he was featured in a 2005 episode of Fox’s “America’s Most Wanted,” cementing his place on the Butler County Sheriff’s Office “Most Wanted” list. His capture was the result of a collaborative effort between the U.S. Marshals, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and local law enforcement partners in Mexico.
Following his arrest, Riano was swiftly extradited to the United States. He was flown from Mexico City to Cincinnati and then transported to the Butler County Jail. Riano now faces two counts of murder and one count of felonious assault, with his arraignment scheduled for Monday.
Butler County Prosecutor Michael T. Gmoser praised the cooperation between various agencies that led to Riano’s apprehension, highlighting the importance of international collaboration in bringing fugitives to justice. “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,” Gmoser stated.
AP
