Parolee wanted in killing nabbed at Mexican border

By DENISSE SALAZAR
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
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A parolee wanted on suspicion of killing a man nearly a decade ago was captured Monday night by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the United States-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, authorities said.

Rojelio Reyes, 35, of Tustin, was using the pedestrian lane to cross into El Paso when a fingerprint scan found he was wanted on warrants for a homicide in Santa Ana and a parole violation, according to a CBP news release.

Santa Ana cold-case detectives are in El Paso interviewing Reyes in connection with the Oct. 3, 1992 killing of 22-year-old Antonio Garcia Cisneros, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.

Reyes is accused of shooting Cisneros while he was seating in his car in the 7-Eleven parking lot at McFadden Avenue and Fairview Street, Bertagna said.

A security guard at a nearby apartment complex saw the shooter running and tossing a weapon, Bertagna said, adding that the weapon was found.

The case went cold until March 2010 when cold case detectives reviewed the case, submitted evidence to the crime lab and got a hit. The DNA evidence pointed to Reyes, Bertagna said.

A $1 million homicide warrant was issued for Reyes in May.

Bertagna said the motive for the killing remains unknown.

Reyes has a lengthy criminal history that includes auto theft, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia and domestic violence, court records show.

Contact the writer: 714-704-3709 or desalazar@ocregister.com

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