Escaped California prisoners were arrested for killing leaders of Mexico’s elite police department.

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Escaped California prisoners were arrested for killing leaders of Mexico’s elite police department.

An escaped California prisoner, with Leader of Mexico’s elite police department dies Officials said they were arrested after a week of hunting.

Cesar Hernandez, who fled the detention center in December, had served for 80 years before escaping the detention center, was arrested in the northern city of Tijuana. He was wanted for shooting death of 33-year-old Abigail Esparza Reyes. She is the department head of the Northern Border State of California.

Esparza Reyes died in a gunfight in Tijuana on April 9, and the unit attempted to arrest Hernandez.

Mexican news outlets, including El Universal, reported that video surveillance showed Hernandez escaped while running through the streets almost naked and then hid under the tarp covering the vehicles. Before walking away, he was wearing a fluorescent green uniform (similar to the fluorescent green uniform used by local traffic police).

Members of the National Security Agency escorted U.S. citizen Cesar Hernandez, who allegedly shot and killed 33-year-old Abigail Esparza Reyes, 33, a senior Mexican state policeman in the elite “gringo hunter” unit, which tracked and arrested U.S. fugitives in Mexico, Mexico, Mexico, Mexico, Mexico, on April 18, 2025.

Round beam/Reuters

“These actions reflect outstanding intelligence and investigation efforts carried out by personnel from the State Attorney General’s Office, whose coordinated efforts, tactical analytical strategies and data collection enable accurate findings of those arrested today,” the California Attorney’s Office of Baja said in a statement on social media.

Mexican officials said Hernandez faces criminal proceedings and that “his legal situation will be determined by law.”

Hernandez, 34, was sentenced to 80 years in prison for first-degree murder, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He was on his way to the Kern County Superior Court Building, and on December 2, he appeared before the judge as he jumped out of the van and evaded staff.

Search continues to search for the convicted murderer, who escapes custody before appearing in court in Kern County

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Reuters reported that Esparza Reyes led the force’s regional team for eight years and conducted more than 400 operations to arrest U.S. fugitives fleeing to Mexico.

Esparza Reyes grew up in Tijuana and secretly wanted to be a policeman, according to the Washington Post profile on the group.

Lucia I Suarez sings

Lucia Suarez Sang is the assistant executive editor at CBSNews.com. Previously, Lucia was the digital content director for FOX61 News in Connecticut, and previously wrote for media such as Foxnews.com, Fox News Latino and Rutland Herald.