FBI returns fugitive to Northern California to face charges in 1989 shooting death

Rosalio Ahumada
·2 min read
7

FBI agents on Monday returned a fugitive to the United States where he stands accused of killing a woman 34 years ago outside a laundromat in a small town in Northern California.

Antonio Lopes Moreno, now 67, was found in Cotija de la Paz, Michoacan, Mexico, on Aug. 19, 2022, the FBI Sacramento Field Office announced Monday in a news release. The International Criminal Police Organization apprehended him with help from the FBI Mexico City Legal Attaché.

Lopes Moreno is accused of killing the woman on Oct. 11, 1989 outside the laundromat in Orland, the FBI said. Glenn County District Attorney Dwayne R. Stewart, who is prosecuting the case, was not available Monday to provide additional details about the 1989 homicide, including the woman’s name.

Glenn Superior Court records show that prosecutors have charged Lopes Moreno with one count of first-degree murder, along with an enhancement for allegedly using a gun in the homicide.

A warrant for Lopes Moreno’s arrest was issued on Oct. 16, 1989. The FBI said agents obtained a federal arrest warrant “for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution” on May 23, 2017, following a request from the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office in January 2017 and in collaboration with the District Attorney’s Office.

The U.S. Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted in securing Lopes Moreno’s arrest and extradition from Mexico. The FBI said Lopes Moreno was booked at the Glenn County Jail and is currently awaiting his first court appearance in the murder case.

“The FBI is committed to locating and returning individuals who evade criminal prosecution to honor the memory of victims, support those impacted by the crime, and ensure the accused can face charges before an impartial jury,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan said in the news release.