Man extradited back to Arizona over ex-girlfriend's murder: U.S. Marshals
PHOENIX - Officials with the U.S. Marshals say a man who once lived in Arizona has been brought back to the state over a murder that happened in Phoenix decades prior.
What we know:
According to a statement released on Sept. 11, 65-year-old Abraham Rafael Pedroza-Garcia was caught by Mexican authorities in May 2026, a month after a Mexican arrest warrant was issued for the man.
The backstory:
Investigators say Pedroza-Garcia "was wanted on charges of murder, aggravated assault and burglary stemming from a fatal stabbing that occurred April 1, 2000."
"According to investigators, Pedroza-Garcia allegedly entered his former girlfriend’s home, fatally stabbed her and also stabbed her partner," read a portion of the statement. "An Arizona warrant was issued for his arrest on September 13, 2000."
Dig deeper:
Per the statement, Phoenix Police and the Maricopa County Attorney's Office "requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service District of Arizona WANTED Violent Offender Task Force, which adopted the fugitive investigation in 2023."
"Using international investigative resources, investigators assigned to the District of Arizona’s Mexico Investigative Liaison Team developed information in 2024 indicating Pedroza-Garcia was residing in Mexico," investigators wrote.
Pedroza-Garcia, according to the statement, was brought back to Arizona on Sept. 11 without incident.
"He was transferred to the appropriate authorities to face the pending charges," officials wrote.
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from a statement released by the United States Marshals Service.