A man who allegedly gunned down a Texas high school cheerleader and escaped to Mexico is back in the United States to face prosecution after nearly 30 years on the run, KTRK-TV reports.
On Wednesday, FBI agents traveled to Mexico City and brought 47-year-old Jose Luis Rios to the Harris County Jail.
Rios was wanted in connection with the death of 19-year-old Kristie Martin, who was killed on December 23, 1995, while at a Houston-area park with friends.
Authorities said Rios and another man were driving through the park, approached the group of high school students, and told them to get out. But as Martin and her friends were leaving, Rios opened fire on them.
First responders found Martin not breathing and with gunshot wounds to her back. Another woman was also injured, according to KPRC-TV.
Investigators believe Rios was part of a gang at the time of the shooting. He subsequently fled across the border.
David Martinez, acting special agent in charge of the FBI Houston Field Office, said in a press release that Rios would be brought to justice for the slaying.
“Now, almost 28 years to the day after Kristie Martin’s murder, her suspected killer will finally return to Harris County and set foot in a courtroom to face justice long overdue,” Martinez said. “To the victims and their families, you don’t forget and neither do we.”
Rios, who was arrested in Mexico in August, could face up to life in prison if he is convicted. He is being held without bond and is subject to an immigration hold by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to Houston Public Media.
Martin’s family has never understood the motive for the killings. At the time, Martin was a student at Galena Park High School and on the cheerleading team.
“For no reason,” Martin’s father, Brian Martin, told KTRK-TV. “Out of meanness, I guess.”
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[Feature Photo: Family Handout via KTRK-TV]
