“That’s no accident. When you have an administration who gives law enforcement the support to execute the mission, they get the job done like nobody else,” the Kash said in a news release.
Castillo’s apprehension was the culmination of countless hours of work and years of developing leads, the agency said.
“It’s a credit to great investigative work and great leadership in this administration with [President Donald Trump] and [Department of Justice] letting good cops be cops,” Patel wrote on X. “Justice will be done.”
The FBI added Castillo to the most wanted list in October 2017 for the alleged murder of his coworker, 23-year-old Truc Quan “Sandy” Ly Le, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Her body was found in a wooded area in August 2016. A state arrest warrant was issued about three months later, charging Castillo with first-degree murder. Then in February 2017, a federal arrest warrant was issued, charging him additionally with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
Castillo was captured in Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico, on Friday after years of eluding law enforcement.
“Sandy’s family began another new year without her, we hope knowing her accused killer is in custody will provide some level of solace now,” FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. said.
Patel credited collaboration with numerous law enforcement agencies in locating and capturing Castillo. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Secret Service, Mexican government, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina, multiple FBI offices, and Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office all had a hand in the investigation, the news release said.
Established in March 1950, the FBI’s top 10 most wanted list has had 537 fugitives on it with 499 apprehended or located. Castillo was the 516th individual added to the list.
"Nine years. Two countries. Zero escape,” Patel said on X. “This case is a reminder: when law enforcement is empowered and partnerships are real, time doesn’t protect killers, persistence defeats them.
“Justice for Sandy Ly Le is finally in motion.”
Castillo is being held in Mexico City pending extradition proceedings to North Carolina.