Killer Extradicted to San Diego For Murder of Teen Girl
Reported by: Eric Collins
Last Update: 4/25 11:54 pm



One of the county's Top Ten fugitives landed back in San Diego Friday night. Omar Maldonado was extradited from Mexico for the senseless murder of a teenage girl eight years ago.

24-year-old Omar Maldonado arrived at Lindbergh Field around 8:45 Friday night. His flight originated in Mexico City, then flew to Los Angeles, and then landed here San Diego.

Passengers on the flight say Maldonado seemed very nervous and a detective told FOX6 News that Maldonado was scared when he stepped off the plane.

Maldonado was arrested last October in Mexico. A tipster spotted him after seeing his picture on America's Most Wanted. Police say he was using an alias and selling cars in Tijuana.

Maldonado is accused of a horrific murder that happened during a party on February 17th, 2000 in a Logan Heights apartment. Witnesses say Maldonado placed a shotgun to the back of Leah Tadeo's head and fired one shot at the 17-year-old girl he had never met.

While under arrest, authorities say Maldonado admitted he was a gang member, but he claims the murder was an accident. He says he didn't know the gun was loaded.

Leah's sister, Tami Ballard, doesn't believe him.

"We've already prosecuted someone in the case that tells me this wasn't an accident. This was not an accident," said Ballard.

Family and friends of the late teen, say the truth will now finally come out in court

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AMW CAPTURE DATA FILE FOR
Omar "Mines" Emanuel Maldonado

(Omar Emanuel Maldonado-Cuevas, Emanuel Omar Maldonado, Omar Cuevas)
Capture #963 , Oct 09, 2007


Omar Maldonado was only 17 when he allegedly shot and killed Leah Tadeo.
Murder , San Diego , CA



Tijuana , Mexico
San Diego , CA

February 16 2008
October 29 2007
more

End Of The Line For Maldonado
It's been seven years since cops say Omar Maldonado shot and killed 17-year-old Leah Tadeo at a San Diego area house party. Since then, law enforcement on both sides of the US-Mexico border have been hunting high and low for the diminutive Maldonado who police believe began working for a drug cartel south of the border. Maldonado's luck finally ran out on October 9, 2007 when cops in Tijuana, Mexico arrested the 5'2" fugitive after an AMW tipster pointed them in the right direction

http://www.amw.com/fugitives/brief.cfm?id=31733

AMW CAPTURE DATA FILE FOR
Omar "Mines" Emanuel Maldonado


Capture #963 , Oct 09, 2007
AMW Capture #963
Tijuana Cops Cuff Murder Suspect Maldonado
Cops tell AMW that 5'2" murder suspect, Omar Maldonado, has been a busy guy during his time on the lam in Mexico. They believe that he's been moonlighting for a drug cartel. However, on October 9, 2007, Maldonado's luck ran out thanks to an AMW tipster.

Authorities say that an AMW viewer recognized Maldonado from one of the times his case aired. Then the tipster double checked Maldonado's photo on AMW.com. According to cops, that's when they got the call alerting them to Maldonado's whereabouts in Tijuana, Mexico. Mexican authorities arrested Maldonado as he tried to get into a cab.

On October 10, 2007, the State Preventive police in Mexico handed Maldonado off to the Federal police who took him to a federal jail in Mexico City where he will face drug charges for his suspected cartel connections. Authorities have not said anything definitive about extraditing Maldonado back to San Diego to face murder charges.

http://www.amw.com/fugitives/capture.cfm?id=31733