A man suspected in a 1987 murder case fled to Venezuela. His 35-year run ended at MIA

Grethel Aguila
·2 min read
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A man fled to Venezuela after a 1987 murder. Now, after more than 35 years on the run, authorities — finally — caught up to him.

Ricardo Jose Calderon was arrested at Miami International Airport around 10 p.m. Wednesday after a 1987 warrant linked him to the killing of Flavio Castellanos. The 66-year-old faces first-degree murder and kidnapping charges.

For decades, Calderon has been wanted after Castellanos, a 21-year-old student at Broward Technical College, was gunned down, according to Miami Herald archives. Castellanos’ bullet-riddled body was found on a canal bank at Northwest 117th Avenue and 22nd Street on Aug. 20, 1987.

The day after the murder, Calderon and another suspect fled to Venezuela, where nationals can’t be extradited for crimes committed abroad, according to Miami Herald archives. The third suspect was serving 20 years in federal prison on unrelated charges.

Castellanos entered Calderon’s radar when he and another man were overseeing a 17-kilo cocaine deal, according to NBC 6. The drugs had been supplied by Calderon and a man named Zinguer.

However, the deal didn’t go through.

Calderon and Zinguer kidnapped Castellanos and the other dealer before driving them to a home on Southwest 71st Lane, according to NBC 6.

They were interrogated and subsequently taken to a Fort Lauderdale house — where they were tied up with a vacuum cleaner cord, placed in separate rooms and questioned.

They were then driven back to Miami-Dade on Aug. 19, the day before the body was found, according to NBC 6. The dealer overheard Calderon and Zinguer talking about killing them.

Calderon was dropped off at an unknown location when Castellanos got up in the van and attacked Zinguer. The other dealer, who was able to escape the van, heard a gunshot, saw Castellanos had been shot and noticed Zinguer was holding a gun, according to NBC 6.

As of Thursday evening, it’s unknown why Calderon was traveling through MIA and at what point of screening he was detained.

Calderon is being held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center without bond.