Thread: Police arrest suspect in U.S. consulate shootings UPDATE

Mexican police arrest suspect in Juarez consulate shootings

From Gustavo Valdes and Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN
November 20, 2010 7:52 a.m. EST

(CNN) -- Mexican federal police have arrested a man who authorities say could have been involved in the March shooting deaths of three people with ties to the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, the country's public safety ministry said.

Jose Guadalupe Diaz Diaz, known as "El Zorro," is also suspected in the slaying of a federal police officer, the ministry said in a statement Thursday.

Authorities are investigating the 32-year-old's "likely participation in the killings of three people linked to the U.S. Consulate" in Juarez, the ministry said.

The statement did not specify how Diaz allegedly participated in the shootings. Thursday's statement from Mexican security officials described Diaz as a leader of the Aztecas gang, a street gang affiliated with the Juarez cartel.

Mexican authorities have arrested several others they accuse of being connected to alleged killing of three people with ties to the Juarez consulate.

The shootings occurred March 13 when consulate employee Lesley Enriquez and her husband, Arthur Redelfs, were gunned down as they left a birthday party in their white SUV.

Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros, the husband of another consulate employee, was killed in a separate vehicle.

In addition to his possible involvement in the shootings, Thursday's statement alleged that Diaz was responsible for the distribution and sale of drugs in several locations in the border state of Chihuahua.

Also in this week's operation, authorities arrested Reynaldo Diaz Diaz, known as "El Rey." The ministry said he provided security for the Aztecas gang, and was suspected in slayings and drug distribution.

Police seized a number of weapons including a hand grenade, more than 1,700 rounds of high-caliber ammunition and five bullet-proof vests, the ministry said.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/ ... gletoolbar

I'm glad to see some arrest in this case.

Arrests mount in Juárez U.S. consulate deaths

by John Hall \ El Paso Times
Posted: 11/22/2010 04:35:43 AM MST

The number of arrests made in connection with the March 13 killing of three people linked to the U.S. Consulate in Juárez continues to rise.
So far, at least nine alleged Azteca gang members have been taken into custody in connection with the shootings, including the suspected mastermind, Jesús Ernesto Chávez Castillo, known as "El Camello" or the camel. Chávez was extradited to the U.S. on drug-dealing and unlawful possession of weapons charges in September.

The latest arrests came Wednesday when Mexican federal police arrested José Guadalupe "El Zorro" Diaz, 32, and Reynaldo "El Rey" Diaz Diaz, 27, on suspicion of drug trafficking, extortion and committing several homicides, including the murder of a federal police officer on Aug. 24.

Both men are allegedly part of the Azteca gang, which works for the La Linea or Juárez drug cartel. Mexican authorities are investigating whether the two men are linked to the consulate killings.

On March 13, Lesley Enriquez Redelfs, an employee at the consulate; and her husband, Arthur Redelfs, an El Paso County sheriff's detention officer, were gunned down in Juárez near the Stanton Street bridge after leaving a children's party at the Barquito de Papel hall. Jorge Salcido Ceniceros, a maquiladora supervisor and husband of consulate employee Hilda Antillon, was also killed after leaving the same party. Both the Redelfs and Salcido were driving similar white SUVs and the shootings happened within 25 minutes of each other.

Lesley Redelfs was four months pregnant at the time of the shooting. Her 7-year-old daughter, Rebecca, was riding in the SUV with her parents when they were killed, but she was not hurt. Salcido's two children were riding with him when he was killed, and both were injured. His wife was driving her car behind her husband and witnessed the attack.

Suspects arrested in connection with the case have offered conflicting motives for why the victims were targeted.

Ricardo "Chino" Valles De La Rosa was the first suspect to be arrested. At his detention hearing, he said that an Azteca gang leader ordered the hit on Arthur Redelfs, the sheriff's detention officer, because he had mistreated fellow gang members at the county jail. Chávez, on the other hand, told Mexican investigators that Lesley Redelfs was targeted because she helped provide visas to members of the Sinaloa drug cartel.

In addition to Valles and Chávez, five more suspects were arrested by the Mexican army in April in Chihuahua City. They were: Enrique "Kike" Guajardo López, Raul Gerardo "El Flaco" Calderón Loera, Juan Carlos "El Travieso" Duron Moreno, Eduardo "Lalo" Morales Herrera and Jesús Manuel Herrera Torres, alias "El Cala." Soldiers seized two AK-47 rifles, two handguns and a stolen van from the suspects in the arrest. All five were allegedly members of the Azteca gang.

John Hall may be reached at jhall@elpasotimes.com.

http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_16675905

This is a TERRORIST THREAT!!!!



We need to send troops to Mexico NOW before a full scale war breaks out on our border!!!!!!!!!!!!