Fugitive on US most-wanted list is captured in Mexico

U.S. Marshals / AP

This photo provided by the U.S. Marshals Service shows Vincent Legrend Walters. The U.S. Marshals Service says Vincent Legrend Walters, one of its 15 most-wanted fugitives, has been caught in the Mexican resort city of Cancun.

MEXICO CITY -- The U.S. Marshals Service announced the capture of Vincent Legrend Walters, one of the law enforcement agency's 15 most wanted fugitives, in the resort city of Cancun.

Walters, 45, was wanted on kidnapping, murder and drug charges stemming from a 1988 San Diego, Calif., case.

The agency said Walters was apprehended Friday morning, then transported to Mexico City where he will await extradition to the United States.


Walters had been working at the Cancun International Airport under the assumed name Oscar Rivera, according to a statement released by the agency.

Walters is accused in the kidnapping and murder of Christina Reyes in September 1988, U.S. Marshals said in a statement obtained by NBC News. He was also indicted by a federal grand jury in 1989 on conspiracy to manufacture, possess and distribute crystal methamphetamine, carrying firearms during a drug trafficking crime and possession of unregistered firearms and explosives.

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Walters was snared by an undercover Drug Enforcement Agency operation in 1988 after allegedly purchasing $20,000 worth of chemicals to make methamphetamine and negotiating an additional $200,000 deal with the undercover agents, Marshals said.

They described events this way:

When one of his associates became paranoid holding onto the finished methamphetamine, Walters handed it off to a local drug dealer, who in turn gave it to his friend Jay Bareno. Wanting their drugs back, Walters tracked down the local dealer, who no longer had the drugs, and kidnapped him, along with his friend and his friend's girlfriend to trade them to Bareno for the drugs.

Bareno agreed to exchange the drugs for the hostages. After returning the drugs, two of the hostages were released, but Christina Reyes died when she was gagged with a chemically saturated rag that killed her almost instantaneously.

Martin Walters, Vincent's brother, was caught soon after the crime and has since been convicted of Reyes' kidnapping and murder, they said. He is serving 25 years to life in prison.

"Vincent Walters is accused of committing a number of crimes that landed him on our most wanted fugitive list," said David Harlow, Assistant Director of the U.S. Marshals Investigative Operations Division. "Thanks to the hard work of our Deputy U.S. Marshals, local law enforcement and Mexican law enforcement partners, we were able to bring Walters in to face the consequences for his laundry list of accused crimes."

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are the democrats going to declare victory for fast n furious?

  • 2 votes
Reply#52 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 8:35 PM EDT

Well they caught him and that is great and only took 24 years. Better late then never. Whatever you do don't tell Mexico he's up for any death penalty or they won't extradite him. If he goes back to California the state will be charged with his bill and they already have 3 cities bankrupt. Maybe not such a good idea.

  • 1 vote
Reply#53 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 8:36 PM EDT

I've got an idea.. Just castrate him and turn him loose. Less money and he can stay in Cancun and work his life away down there.

  • 2 votes
Reply#54 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 8:56 PM EDT

The horrible truth of this whole incident the very law enforcement that is supposed to be protecting us sold this man the chemicals to manufacture these drugs and they should be also held accountable for they're actions and for the resulting crimes that happened without those chemicals that they illegally sold to this man there would have been no kidnapping, murder or drugs! seems to be the D.E.A.'s signature card give some one loads of chemicals,guns and we'll bust who ever is still alive at the end of it.

Walters was snared by an undercover Drug Enforcement Agency operation in 1988 after allegedly purchasing $20,000 worth of chemicals to make methamphetamine and negotiating an additional $200,000 deal with the undercover agents, Marshals said.

  • 2 votes
Reply#55 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 9:01 PM EDT

24 years to land a guy who is only on the other side of the ditch?

No wonder we can't get the drug issue under control...maybe if we privatise the war on drugs we will get some results anything the government does is nothing more than an over priced cluster F**K!

  • 1 vote
Reply#56 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 9:06 PM EDT

Turner1, this is the answer to your stupid post on page 1. Sorry I didn't know it was Bush withholding documents from Congress or that he was behind the White House leaks but I didn't have the benefit of Rachel Madcow thinking for me like you do.

  • 2 votes
Reply#57 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 9:09 PM EDT

Some FBI, 24 years later they nab a most wanted in Mexico who was wanted in San Diego.... go figure. Seems that would have been the 1st place they looked.

    Reply#58 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 9:26 PM EDT
    aven005Deleted
    aven005Deleted

    pinche putos americanos! se les escapa un criminal y le echan la culpa a mexico o el presidente.... chingao ctfu

      Reply#61 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 10:12 PM EDT

      Milca~

      deveras que son pendejos los americans! hahahahaha!!!!! I love it.

      • 1 vote
      #61.1 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 10:50 PM EDT

      Yea and same to you Puto!

        #61.2 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 11:02 PM EDT

        Oye, Milca Salvador Sanchez

        Say Hello To My Little Fugitive Gringo Friends!

        Say Good Night To The Bad Guys, Gringos Podrias!

        Vinny "Pipino Cuevas" Walters

        Pilots' Chochas Grandes Lounge, Cancun Aeropuerto

          #61.3 - Sun Jul 15, 2012 5:06 AM EDT
          Reply

          You Can Run, But You Can't Hide Forever.

          Robert Vesco, Benny Bin Laden, Wesley Snipes, Vinny "The Frito Bandido" Walters, ....etc

          Walters looks like Tom Selleck, Magnum P.I. South of the Border Edition

          Ness, Columbo, Mcgarrett & Rockford Detective Firm

          TV Land, USA

            Reply#62 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 10:29 PM EDT

            Of course we have to follow our legal system, BUT if the girl who died was MY kid, I would somehow pay a fellow inmate to rape and then strangle that scumbag piece of @!$%#. It wouldn't bring my kid back but it would give me some kind of relief.

              Reply#63 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 10:30 PM EDT

              This guy is a killer we certainly should not leave him their. Chrstina's family deserves justice. I am always surprised at high and mighy folks on hear who think their opinions rank high and mighty. If he killed your little girl you certainly would want justice. Stupid comment by stupid J. Howard. This serves as a lesson to those who harm others that no matter how long it takes you will be hunted. The U.S. Government will hunt you to your grave. God Bless the FBI, DEA, and U.S. Marshals. The hunters of men bring justice to another victim. Good Day, Joe.

                Reply#64 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 10:59 PM EDT

                Oh yea and I don't care how much it cost. Justice is never to expensive. Hunt them down one at a time. Good Day,Joe.

                  Reply#65 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 11:00 PM EDT

                  lol.... i have to laugh or make a joke humanity has turned ugly and heartles, self rightous and ignorant it heart breaking and disgusting north south east west everyone on some crazy ish, wether this man is extradicted or not i hope christinas family has found peace, as far as the mexico vs usa well damn i usually dnt lay claim to some i havent made myself and politics well damn that what happens when u play follow the leader ..... oh well we may as well give up on each other all together

                    Reply#66 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 11:11 PM EDT

                    Another fugitive caught in the Aztec country of Mexico. I do wonder how much did he paid to the government (Airport officials) to have him working there? Someone or some people have to know what was going on. Those Indians are not stupid.

                    • 1 vote
                    Reply#67 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 11:31 PM EDT

                    Congratulations to the US Marshals Service for collaring that scumbag. But I'll bet he wasn't contributing enough to Obama's re-election campaign fund.

                      Reply#68 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 11:43 PM EDT

                      Wow, a real monster here. Someone that should be facing manslaughter charges but since she died during the commision of a felony he know faces 1st degree murder charges. I don't know how he made the top 15 fugatives unless maybe there really isn't that violent of people on there. What I mean to say is that this guy isn't some deraigned monster who kills indiscriminately he's just some idiot who stuck a dirty rag down his hostages throat. A bad guy? Yes. A guy that's should be on the top 15? I don't think so, isn't there some serial killers or rapists out there that are still on the loose???

                        Reply#69 - Sat Jul 14, 2012 11:54 PM EDT

                        Again the issue comes up about a low life killer, why try him in the United States ? It will cost the Taxpayers Millions ! The Answer is a simple one which I have posted many times through the Years , CHINA will take him off our hands all we have to do is pay the transportation charges and when he arrives in China the Army will be waiting and take him into custody and bring him to an area where a bullet will enter his head end of story!

                          Reply#70 - Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:03 AM EDT

                          Amerika has lost all sense of proportionality and relation.
                          We know no limits to our desire to *punish* people. We go out of our way to *punish* people for anything we deem inappropriate, weather they do it inside this country or outside. We have more *punished* people than anywhere else on the planet, people who are *punished* harder and for longer than anywhere else for the most minor of offenses.
                          We never let up, we never let by-gones be by-gones, and worst of all, most Amerikans think the state will never be turned on *them*.
                          Every pot smoker who goes to jail today is a cigarette smoker who goes to jail tomorrow.Every felt up 9 year old in an airport today is a person denied flight because they pissed off a powerful person tomorrow.
                          They are tightening the noose as we speak, and sadly most of the population is too medicated to care.
                          Until it's too late.(is it already?)

                          • 1 vote
                          Reply#71 - Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:40 AM EDT

                          And this guy worked at the International Airport? WTF?! That just goes to show you how "thorough" the background checks are on foreign airport workers. Wouldn't his fingerprints be in the Interpol's database?

                            Reply#72 - Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:47 AM EDT

                            Welcome to Shawshank.

                              Reply#73 - Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:49 AM EDT

                              There are far worse criminals walking around in our cities everyday and this guy makes the most wanted list?

                                Reply#74 - Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:02 AM EDT

                                It's about time the long arm of the law finally found him, even if it took all those years. Perhaps, just maybe for ten seconds some other criminals on the run out there will pause and wonder what their chances of continuing to evade capture really are. It isn't going to change anything except perhaps bring some comfort to the relatives of the girl who died. As for this killer, all those years waiting and wondering if he would be discovered at anytime surely weren't filled with true happiness and peace.Having to constantly look over one's shoulder, I hope kept him awake for many of those nights. He will now end his days behind bars just a number. What a waste and sad use of the potential choices he could have made of his life. I suspect whatever justice society may dish out, it won't be the end when this criminal leaves life. He has so much to account for including the devastation drugs cause to so many lives which is incalculable. I think the universe has a way of eventually balancing things out. He has one hell of a debt ahead of him to pay off and an eternity to work on it.

                                • 1 vote
                                Reply#75 - Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:31 AM EDT

                                he need to go straight to the chair,but we all know that not going to happen,he will live better then most homeless folks out there on our dime.justice in this country is gone,i agree with most of you one here,start voting these bleeding liberals, democraps out of office would be a great place to start.

                                  Reply#76 - Sun Jul 15, 2012 5:27 AM EDT

                                  And it only took a little over two decades to get it done! We were so busy busting evil and deadly pot smokers that getting this guy took a little longer than expected. Now, put a pretty dress on him and send him to the crossbar motel, he has man dates waiting.

                                    Reply#77 - Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:16 AM EDT

                                    How did this get out of hand would be a good question. The DEA was selling Walters chemicals to make meth as part of a sting operation, right? The meth Walters made with the chemicals causes all these problems and no one wants to ask "How in the hell did the DEA let Walters get that far of off their leash?" I would assume Walters was under pretty close surveillance since the DEA sold him chemicals and under that kind of surveillance he shouldn't have been able to scratch his ass without the DEA knowing about it. I don't go around blaming cops for shortcomings but they did sell him the chemicals that started this fiasco in the first place. Were any DEA agents punished for this? Did any of the liberal media blame Bush 41 for the whole thing? Sheeesh. I gotta hit the can.

                                      #77.1 - Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:40 AM EDT

                                      Ohhhhh! I get it! Thats why Walters made it on the 15 most wanted list! Walters made fools out of the DEA with his little drug induced DEA supported murderous rage that he went on. I was kinda wondering about that, this punk ranks #15 on the wanted list? This is pay back.

                                        #77.2 - Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:56 AM EDT
                                        Reply

                                        I not so sure that they found this idiot by good detective but rather dumb luck and even a Dumber criminial

                                        • 1 vote
                                        Reply#78 - Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:03 AM EDT

                                        As if you would "know". LOL

                                          #78.1 - Sun Jul 15, 2012 11:56 AM EDT
                                          Reply
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