West Covina Police say Ricardo Cardenas, 38 of California was arrested in the city of Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico by Mexican Authorities and deported to the United States in mid March.
On Friday, March 14, 2014, the U.S. Marshal’s Office notified the WCPD that a suspect, wanted in connection with a West Covina murder that happened in 1994, was now in custody.
Cardenas was flown into LAX Saturday, March 15, and released to the custody of the WCPD Homicide Detectives. Cardenas was then transported to the WCPD where he was booked. He was set to appear at Pomona Superior Court on Tuesday, March 18. Bail is $1,000,000.00.
“Mr. Cardenas was captured due to the combined effort of several local and federal agencies who worked in conjunction with Mexican authorities, WCPD Chief Dave Faulkner said in the press release. “I am pleased to see our agencies working together to hold Mr. Cardenas accountable for the homicide.”
Police say on August 8, 1994 Cardenas arrived at 10:35 a.m. at the murder victim’s residence in the 1100 block of Lark Ellen to discuss the previous sale of a vehicle. An argument began, and police say Cardenas pulled a gun and shot Homayun Aimaq. The victim died as a result of the shooting. Cardenas was quickly identified as the suspect in the investigation, but he fled to Mexico shortly after the murder. A $1,000,000 warrant was issued for his arrest.
In 2014, WCPD homicide detectives reviewed the investigation and began to search for Cardenas. With the help of U.S. Marshals – San Diego Office’s Mexico Investigative Liaison Team, the Los Angeles Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Customs and Border Protection, authorities developed new leads to find Cardenas. U.S. Officials notified Mexican Immigration Authorities who located Cardenas, arresting him without incident.