Jose Rodolfo Villarreal-Hernandez
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Jose Rodolfo Villarreal-Hernandez (born January 16, 1978) is a Mexican
drug cartel A drug cartel is a criminal organization composed of independent drug lords who collude with each other in order to improve their profits and dominate the illegal drug trade. Drug cartels form with the purpose of controlling the supply of the i ...
boss and former
fugitive A fugitive or runaway is a person who is fleeing from custody, whether it be from jail, a government arrest, government or non-government questioning, vigilante violence, or outraged private individuals. A fugitive from justice, also known ...
who was added to the
FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives The FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives is a most wanted list maintained by the United States's Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The list arose from a conversation held in late 1949 between J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the FBI, and William ...
list on October 13, 2020. He was wanted for orchestrating the murder of Juan Jesús Guerrero Chapa, which was carried out on May 22, 2013, in
Southlake, Texas Southlake is a city located predominantly in Tarrant County with minor areas extending into Denton County in the U.S. state of Texas. Southlake is a suburb of Dallas/Fort Worth. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 31,265. History ...
. He is also believed to be responsible for numerous murders in
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
. Villarreal-Hernandez was the 524th fugitive to be placed on the
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. He replaced Santiago Villalba Mederos. The United States Department of State's Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program offered a reward of up to $1 million for information leading directly to his arrest. He was captured on January 7, 2023. On February 27, 2025, he was extradited to the United States.


Background

Villarreal-Hernandez was born in
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
on January 16, 1978. He was a leader of the Beltrán-Leyva Cartel. A few years prior to the 2013 murder of Juan Jesús Guerrero Chapa, Villarreal-Hernandez's father was murdered by the
Gulf Cartel The Gulf Cartel ( , or ''Golfos'') is a criminal syndicate, Drug cartel, drug trafficking organization, and U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, which is perhaps one of the oldest organized crime groups in Mexico. It is currently bas ...
, a rival cartel to the Beltrán-Leyva, with whom they had an ongoing feud. Guerrero, who was a lawyer, was reportedly associated with the Gulf Cartel, and represented the Gulf Cartel leader
Osiel Cárdenas Guillén Osiel Cárdenas Guillén (born 18 May 1967) is a former Mexican drug lord and the former top leader of the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas. Originally a mechanic in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, he entered the cartel by killing Juan García Abrego's fri ...
. Villarreal-Hernandez blamed Guerrero personally for the death of his father and sought revenge.


Murder of Juan Jesús Guerrero Chapa

Villarreal-Hernandez hired a crew to assassinate Guerrero. By May 2013, Guerrero was living in
Southlake, Texas Southlake is a city located predominantly in Tarrant County with minor areas extending into Denton County in the U.S. state of Texas. Southlake is a suburb of Dallas/Fort Worth. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 31,265. History ...
, and was now a U.S. informant who was cooperating with law enforcement. Because of this, he was allowed to live legally in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. Villarreal-Hernandez sent a crew from Mexico to track and locate Guerrero. He was eventually located and found to be living in Southlake. On the evening of May 22, 2013, two hitmen working for Villarreal-Hernandez, known only as Clorox and Captain, tracked Guerrero and his wife in their vehicle, as they drove to Southlake Town Square. Around 6:47 p.m., Guerrero climbed into the front passenger seat of his burgundy
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while his wife placed bags into the back of the vehicle. The two assassins, driving a white
Toyota Sequoia The Toyota Sequoia is a full-size SUV manufactured by Toyota mainly for the North American market since 2000 for the 2001 model year, being derived from the Toyota Tundra, Tundra pickup truck. It is the second largest SUV ever produced under th ...
, pulled up behind them. The passenger exited the vehicle wearing a hoodie and a bandanna and fired multiple rounds from a 9mm handgun at Guerrero. Guerrero was shot in his side and back before slumping motionless against the front seats. The shooter returned to the car and the assassins escaped. Guerrero was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. His wife escaped the shooting unharmed.


Investigation

Three men who were connected to the assassination plot have since been arrested for their involvement in the crime. The two assassins remain at large. According to witness testimony, Guerrero's sister took revenge against Villarreal-Hernandez by having one of his relatives beheaded. He was then sent a video of the severed head. Villarreal-Hernandez remained in hiding and was wanted by the FBI for interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. He was believed to be hiding in Mexico. A reward of up to $1 million was available for information leading to his arrest. Villarreal-Hernandez was arrested in Atizapán de Zaragoza, Mexico, on January 7, 2023.


Extradition to the United States

On 27 February 2025, Villarreal-Hernandez along with 28 other narco figures were extradited to the United States.


See also

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List of fugitives from justice who disappeared This is a list of fugitives from justice, notable people who disappeared or evaded capture while being sought by law enforcement agencies in connection with a crime, and who are currently sought or were sought for the duration of their presumed ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Villareal-Hernandez, Jose Rodolfo 1978 births 2013 murders in the United States 21st-century Mexican criminals FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives Fugitives wanted by the United States Fugitives wanted on murder charges Living people Mexican male criminals