FBI Captures Ten Most Wanted Fugitive in Mexico After 10-Year Manhunt

Alejandro Castillo, shown in FBI wanted photographs released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (U.S. government image, public domain)

The FBI captured Alejandro Rosales Castillo on January 16, 2026, in Hidalgo, Mexico, ending a nearly decade-long international manhunt connected to the 2016 murder of his coworker in Charlotte, North Carolina. Castillo had been on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list and is now being held in Mexico pending extradition proceedings. No timeline for his return to the United States has been publicly announced.

The 2016 Killing

According to investigators, Castillo’s coworker was found fatally shot in Charlotte in 2016. Authorities allege Castillo lured the woman to a location under false pretenses before killing her. Police identified him as a suspect within days of the killing, but he had already fled the country. His placement on the Ten Most Wanted list escalated the search and brought national attention to the case. Castillo has not been convicted and the allegations will be tested in court.

The Capture

Mexican authorities arrested Castillo without incident. U.S. officials confirmed the apprehension was the result of sustained coordination between the FBI and international law enforcement partners. Law enforcement officials did not publicly detail the specific information that led to his location. U.S. prosecutors have not yet released details about the charges to be pursued once he is extradited. For the victim’s family, who had waited nearly ten years for accountability, authorities acknowledged the arrest marked a significant step toward resolution.

References: FBI Captures Alejandro Rosales Castillo 10 Years After Alleged Crimes | Man on FBI’s Most Wanted for Charlotte Woman’s 2016 Murder Caught in Mexico | FBI Captures Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitive in Mexico Years After Former Co-worker’s Murder