Murder Suspect in 2004 Ohio Shooting Located Working as Police Officer in Mexico — ‘I Was Speechless,’ Deputy Says

A man known as El Diablo, “The Devil,” who has been on the run from law enforcement for 20 years has been located and arrested in Mexico, according to authorities.

On Aug. 1, the U.S. Marshals Service announced Antonio Riano, who was one profiled on America’s Most Wanted for the alleged shooting and killing of 25-year-old Benjamin Becarra in 2004, was found in Zapotitlan Palmas in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

Riano was reportedly working as a police officer in his hometown when marshals and Mexican police took him into custody.

On Dec. 19, 2004, Riano and Becarra reportedly got into a fight at a bar, according to court documents obtained by WKRC-TV. Video footage from the night allegedly showed Riano pull out a gun and shoot Becarra in the face during the fight.

Investigators determined Riano bought bullets at Walmart that same day, and the gun they believed was used in the killing was discovered at his home under the floorboards.

On Feb. 14, 2005, Riano was indicted and U.S. Marshals believe he fled the country to avoid prosecution. Riano was previously given the nickname “El Diablo” or “The Devil.”

A local news station in Mexico reportedly asked Riano why he worked as a police officer, and he responded, “I wanted to help the people of Mexico.”

Before his arrest, Riano was added to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office Most Wanted list. His case was also featured on a 2005 episode of America’s Most Wanted.

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Following his arrest, Riano was flown to Cincinnati and booked into the Butler County Jail, where he was charged with two counts of murder and one count of felonious assault, officials said.

In a statement, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio Michael Black said, "In every violent crime, there’s a victim. We want to bring closure to this case and give that family some peace, knowing that we didn’t stop and that we kept looking for this violent fugitive and were able to catch him and bring him back."