Ohio Homicide Suspect on Run for 20 Years Discovered Working as Police Officer in His Hometown

Antonio Riano, 72, has been on Ohio’s “Most Needed” listing for 20 years now, for the reason that 2004 capturing loss of life of Benjamin Becarra, 25. On August 1, 2024, Riano was lastly arrested and brought in after US Marshals reported discovering him working as a police officer in his hometown of Zapotitlán Palmas, State of Oaxaca, Mexico.

Riano was was needed for murder by the Butler County Sheriff’s Workplace after the December 2004 capturing, however allegedly fled to Mexico to keep away from prosecution.

In line with the US Marshals Service, the sheriff’s workplace partnered with the U.S. Division of Justice’s Workplace of Worldwide Affairs, who then labored with legislation enforcement in Mexico to arrest and extradite Riano. He’s now being held Butler County Jail with out bond pending further courtroom proceedings.

“America Marshal Service, by way of our violent fugitive job forces, assists our state and native legislation enforcement companions to apprehend the world’s most harmful fugitives,” stated US Marshal Michael D. Black within the assertion. “This arrest is the results of the continued sharing of knowledge between the businesses and the willpower of the investigators who refused to surrender on this case.”

Dubbed “The Satan” as his story was featured on AMW, Riano’s path went chilly after US Marshals tried to seize him with a 2006 warrant, per NBC Information.

They’d tracked him to his mom’s home in Mexico, however by the point Marshals arrived, Riano was now not there. The chilly case picked up warmth in January 2024 when the Butler County Prosecutor’s Workplace obtained its reapplication for the provisional warrant.

At the moment, Chief Investigator Paul Newton and his workforce used social media, together with Fb, to trace Riano down. Whereas purportedly working as a police officer in Mexico, per the US Marshals’ launch, Riano had left behind a spouse and three youngsters in Hamilton, Ohio.

Newton stated Riano “has been essentially the most difficult simply within the easy indisputable fact that he actually dug in then and went underground.” After the 2006 try failed, Newton stated Riano moved once more. “We actually didn’t see any proof of him till 2023,” he stated. “I feel he thought he was dwelling free.”

Now that he is captured, Riano is dealing with two counts of homicide and felony assault costs for the December 19, 2004 capturing of Becarra outdoors the Roadhouse Bar. Police say they discovered the gun used within the capturing in a hidden compartment beneath the kitchen flooring of Riano’s house in Hamilton with bullets beside it, per Fox 19.

Riano reportedly tried to step in to assist a bartender after Becarra was requested to depart the premises since he’d been a part of a struggle there a number of weeks again. As Riano and Becarra allegedly started to argue, the bartender purportedly requested them to take the dispute outdoors.

Shortly after, gunshots have been heard and Becarra was discovered mendacity face down on the sidewalk. Surveillance footage on the time confirmed Riano leaving the scene, per the New York Put up, however authorities have been unable to find him.