He was one of many FBI’s 10 most wished fugitives — now federal prosecutors have filed their fifth superseding indictment towards Mexican cartel leader Jose Rodolfo Villareal-Hernandez, also referred to as “El Gato.”
Authorities say Villareal-Hernandez is linked to a the 2013 murder of a man shot and killed at a Southlake shopping center, and is now going through a murder-for-hire cost. If convicted, he might be eligible for the loss of life penalty.
The violent crime at Southlake’s common Townsquare shook the group over a decade in the past. Now, 12 years later, Villareal-Hernandez, who’s accused of orchestrating that homicide, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, interstate stalking, and now, persevering with a prison enterprise.
A “plot of revenge” behind the 2013 homicide
Paul Coggins, former U.S. legal professional for the Northern District of Texas, mentioned Villareal-Hernandez ordered the 2013 homicide to eradicate one of many males chargeable for his father’s loss of life.
“A rival drug cartel that was chargeable for the loss of life of the defendant’s father,” Paul Coggins mentioned. “So, there was a long-held plot of revenge on the coronary heart of this indictment, on the coronary heart of this story.”
Authorities mentioned that in Could 2013, Villareal-Hernandez, who was a part of the Beltran Leyva Organization cartel, ordered the hit on Juan Jesus Guerrero Chapa in Southlake. Guerrero Chapa was allegedly a lawyer for a rival cartel.
Authorities mentioned Guerrero Chapa was gunned down whereas sitting in his car. He had been within the space purchasing together with his spouse.
Villareal-Hernandez arrested in 2023 after years on the run
Whereas others have been convicted, Villareal-Hernandez remained on the run for years. He was lastly arrested in Mexico in 2023 and extradited to the U.S. this previous February.
“It simply exhibits the lengths that the federal authorities will go to, the federal authorities, the state authorities, will go to in a case like this, in a homicide case, in a homicide for rent case,” Coggins mentioned.
Coggins added that if a jury finds Villareal-Hernandez responsible on the murder-for-hire cost, he’s eligible for the death penalty.
“Then they transfer to a particular sentencing listening to the place the jury considers , all these elements that reduce towards loss of life penalty and in favor of loss of life penalty, and the fundamental issue, the underlying issue, is did the defendant intend to kill somebody, and was it premeditated?” mentioned Coggins.
Villareal-Hernandez’s arraignment is about for Oct. 29 in Fort Price.
