Fugitive Mexican cartel leader Jose Rodolfo Villareal-Hernandez, alias "El Gato", faces a new and serious charge - conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. This is the fifth superseding indictment filed against him since his arrest in Mexico last year.
Twelve years after a man was shot and killed at a Southlake shopping center, authorities have finally connected Villareal-Hernandez to the crime. The victim, Juan Jesus Guerrero Chapa, was allegedly a lawyer for a rival cartel and had information about "El Gato's" past. In May 2013, Villareal-Hernandez ordered the hit, which resulted in Guerrero Chapa's death while he was shopping with his wife.
The case is believed to be motivated by a long-held plot of revenge against the man who killed Villareal-Hernandez's father, a rival from a different cartel. Former U.S. attorney Paul Coggins described the motive as "a plot of revenge" at the heart of the indictment.
Villareal-Hernandez was one of the FBI's 10 most wanted fugitives and remained on the run for years before being arrested in Mexico in 2023. He is now facing multiple charges, including interstate stalking and continuing a criminal enterprise, which carry significant penalties if convicted.
If found guilty on the murder-for-hire charge, Villareal-Hernandez could be eligible for the death penalty. His arraignment is set for October 29 in Fort Worth, where he will face a jury that will consider all factors before making a verdict.
The case highlights the lengths to which federal authorities go to bring justice to victims and their families. "It just shows the lengths that the federal government will go to" to solve a case like this, Coggins said. The trial is expected to be a dramatic and intense one, with the potential outcome hanging in the balance.
Twelve years after a man was shot and killed at a Southlake shopping center, authorities have finally connected Villareal-Hernandez to the crime. The victim, Juan Jesus Guerrero Chapa, was allegedly a lawyer for a rival cartel and had information about "El Gato's" past. In May 2013, Villareal-Hernandez ordered the hit, which resulted in Guerrero Chapa's death while he was shopping with his wife.
The case is believed to be motivated by a long-held plot of revenge against the man who killed Villareal-Hernandez's father, a rival from a different cartel. Former U.S. attorney Paul Coggins described the motive as "a plot of revenge" at the heart of the indictment.
Villareal-Hernandez was one of the FBI's 10 most wanted fugitives and remained on the run for years before being arrested in Mexico in 2023. He is now facing multiple charges, including interstate stalking and continuing a criminal enterprise, which carry significant penalties if convicted.
If found guilty on the murder-for-hire charge, Villareal-Hernandez could be eligible for the death penalty. His arraignment is set for October 29 in Fort Worth, where he will face a jury that will consider all factors before making a verdict.
The case highlights the lengths to which federal authorities go to bring justice to victims and their families. "It just shows the lengths that the federal government will go to" to solve a case like this, Coggins said. The trial is expected to be a dramatic and intense one, with the potential outcome hanging in the balance.