Hollister
– Federal Marshals arrested two fugitive brothers in Hollister
Monday night who stand accused of slaying a man in 1996 during a
wedding party in Mexico.
Hollister – Federal Marshals arrested two fugitive brothers in Hollister Monday night who stand accused of slaying a man in 1996 during a wedding party in Mexico.
United States Marshals, working with agents from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, arrested the two homicide suspects – Hector Alvarado-Romero, 38, and Rafael Alvarado-Romero, 49 – shortly before 8pm Monday, according to U.S. Marshal Public Affairs Officer Zareen Iqbal. A third brother, Gustavo Alvarado-Romero, 36, believed to have been involved in the decade-old murder, was arrested by U.S. Marshals in San Jose, she said.
Hector Alvarado-Romero was arrested at the Safeway parking lot in Hollister. Rafael Alvarado-Romero was arrested at a home on Cypress Street moments later. A third brother, Gustavo Alvarado-Romero, was arrested at a 33rd Street home in San Jose an hour later, according to Iqbal.
“The three fugitives were apprehended safely and without incident,” she said.
Mexican authorities have been searching for the trio since 1997, when the Alvarado-Romero brothers were accused of shooting a man in Michoacan, Mexico. The brothers allegedly went to a wedding party on Dec. 21, 1996, and forced the victim away from the party, Iqbal said. The victim, who has not been identified, was later found dead with multiple gunshot wounds. Iqbal said there may have been “poor relations” between the two families at the wedding, but was unsure of a motive for the murder.
The three brothers fled Mexico in 1997, after warrants were issued for their arrest. They have been running from the law ever since, Iqbal said. Iqbal said both Hector and Rafael Alvarado-Romero were living and working in Hollister, but did not know exactly what they had been doing for the last nine years. All three brothers have legal status to work in the U.S., she said.
Mexican authorities contacted the U.S. Marshals Service in 2005 with information that the three fraternal fugitives were possibly living in Los Angeles. Mexican authorities later tracked the men to Northern California and in May, again contacted officials at the U.S. Marshals Service for assistance. This time, Marshals were able to locate all three brothers, Iqbal said. Although she could not give further details on how the suspects were located, Iqbal said relations between the U.S. Marshals Service and Mexican authorities were “very cooperative.”
All three men are being held at the Santa Clara County Jail in San Jose awaiting extradition. Iqbal said they made a brief appearance in U.S. District Court in San Jose Tuesday morning for an extradition hearing. The U.S. has an extradition treaty with Mexico, where the three men will likely face trial, according to San Benito County District Attorney John Sarsfield. Though Sarsfield is not involved with the case, he is familiar with Mexican law. Mexico does not have a death penalty.
Hollister Police Captain Bob Brooks said neither of the local suspects had ever been arrested locally. He called the crime of which they are accused “heinous.”
“Assuming that they did commit this murder, then certainly our streets are safer (since the arrest),” he said.
Iqbal said the U.S. Attorney’s office is still investigating the brothers to find out how they have spent their time in California since the murder.
Brett Rowland covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or br******@fr***********.com.
