An alleged drug cartel hit man on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list was living a relatively normal life when he was arrested last week in Mexico, the FBI said Monday.
The man, Jose Luis Saenz, who is 36 or 37 (the FBI listed four possible birthdates), went to great lengths to build that life, agents said Monday after his arraignment in Los Angeles in connection with four brutal murders in California from 1998 to 2008.
When he was taken into custody Thursday at his apartment in Guadalajara — partly as a result of a $100,000 reward, the FBI said — Saenz identified himself as "Giovanni Torres," just one of 21 aliases the FBI said he was known to have used.
Saenz had also put on significant weight and had undergone procedures to remove identifying tattoos on his arms, it said. He had even tried to alter his fingerprints.
Saenz is accused of three murders in Los Angeles in 1998: the killings of two alleged rival gang members and the kidnap, rape and slaying of his estranged girlfriend two weeks later.
Investigators said Saenz killed Sigrieta Hernandez, his girlfriend and the mother of his daughter, because he believed she was going to tell police about the gang slayings.
Saenz was added to the FBI's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list in 2009, after he was linked with a fourth homicide in Whittier, Calif., in October 2008.
The victim in that case, identified as Oscar Torres, was killed over a drug debt, authorities said. A security camera videotaped a man believed to be Saenz in the act of killing Torres, wounding another person and leaving the scene in a stretch limousine.
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The FBI said Saenz was believed to be highly dangerous because he had "reportedly made previous statements indicating plans to kill a police officer upon his arrest."
In Mexico, Saenz was working as a hit man for a drug cartel in Guadalajara, "living as an average citizen in an apartment above a beauty salon," FBI agent Scott Garriola said.
"We were dogged in our determination to find him, but when you have that many aliases and you have that much money and connections and you move around that much, it makes it a little more difficult," Garriola said.
He was flown Friday night to Los Angeles, where he told reporters he was "not guilty for life."
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This just goes to show, those who commit evil, never can really get away from their past.What goes around, comes around and in the end, you reap what you have sown.
I know there are those who don't believe there is anything after this life.So what one does here, they think doesn't matter. Yet, for the evil one does I know there is a final reckoning.Call it a universal balancing.
Religious people sure as heck don't live balanced lives while alive.
Even noticed how many thugs wear crucifixes - I guess that little gold plated cross is a counter balance for all the wrong they do.
Why do people long for an after world where thugs get punished - their death isn't enough? Overkill!
Lets say your spirit lives on - what do you expect from that eternal spirit....lots of golf and to finally be popular?
You say those who commit evil, never really get away from their past - so what is the point of the Jesus do-over rule...yep, lots of balance in religion.
I'm spiritual and anti religion - what should my punishment be?
Religion has nothing to do with societal evil, in my opinion. Still you cannot gainsay the wisdom of a Bible, Qu'ran, or the Ten Commandments. It's simple logic.
What goes around, comes around.
I'd say you've got that backwards. If this life is all there is, that makes it all the more important. Who cares if it sucks knowing you're going to Heaven? But knowing there is no Heaven makes you realize it's what you do now that matters most. Heaven is just a cop out for not making your life better while you can.
Good hunting boys, taking scum like this off the streets is good job done.
Just goes to show, all that smoke and mirrors ain't gonna keep our guys from getting the job done.
If there truly is not heaven to look forward to, then I say YOLO. It's then a zero sum game and morals do not matter. but I am a Christian and not only am I saved from sin, I am saved for producing good works.
AG99, you have it wrong. Heaven is not a cop out. Christian doctrine states that you live this life to the max, for God, and then enter His presence.
All that and they can't build a stupid fence.
Hmmm... A very BIG "Thank You" to the police and the tipster.
I believe these rewards should have an added bonus, say 50% of any of the cash found with the criminal; and, that should be tax free of course. Adding more financial incentive would get more people to turn in the criminals on the 50 most wanted list.
Nope, but we got trillions to blow on overseas wars and foreign aid.
tyrone: To each his own. I merely dispute Windancersong's assertion that people do as they please in this life because they think it doesn't matter. Believing Heaven is a fairy tale doesn't mean you blow off what's left. Quite the opposite.
I can agree with you.It also goes to show that we are DECADES overdue in shutting our borders.This guy was an "American"
I absolutely agree with you.
I also agree with you. This POS is the perfect reason we need to close the borders NOW. Actually he should be the Poster child for this action. No more anchor babies! People - is not just mexicans that have anchor babies either. They are just more prolific.
Amen to both of you.
What garbage. When convicted, loses appeal, should be shot in head. Over with.
Absolutely!
Happy to see the good guys got one of the bad guys. Crime does not pay.
the government is the good guy?crime pays very well.see any senators that are poor?
Dry up and take a toke johnQ....your welfare check is in the mail.
I wish you were right dolly. Unfortunately if crime does not pay, why is the USA starting to get over-run with drug cartels and the violence it brings with it? It is LONG past time to CLOSE that border and pass a special law to simply execute all illegal non-citizen violent offenders and ship all the others back to the other side with threat of immediate execution if re-entry is made. No matter how it goes, it won't be pretty in the near future, but we better get a grip on it now before it takes a permanent grip on us. If you didn't notice, I firmly believe in the death penalty because it works as a permanent fix to that threat and strong deterence.
Unfortunately theres more scum like this wandering our countries streets! I live far from the border in the colorado, wyoming area. I have a few friends that DEA, US marshals, and wyoming and colorado law enforcement. They've told me a bunch of stories of guys caught up here that were wanted in border states, california, and mexico. They were wanted for murders, extortion, rape, and drug distribution for the cartels everything. Majority were in the country illegally and move to northern states to stay low and hide. So beware they can wandering the streets in anyones neighborhood
Actually you must live in a fairly sheltered area. Every major city is affected by the Cartels networks. They also sell dope to every State. I saw an episode of Border wars the other day where an older White guy had a bunch of meth hidden in the roof of his truck. Even Americans are mules now. Drugs are the problem. Take that profit away and the Cartels lose power.
He won't have to worry about moving around anymore. He can now have a permanent address just like a law abiding citizen. How's that working for ya?
This guy needs to be put to sleep... period!!
He seemed pretty resourceful after the murders. WTF?
String him up from a bridge. His cartel would do the same for any cops it captures.
So why did his ex girlfriend care about the dead gang members. They could have been getting what they deserved, the gang members although murdered they just have well could have been murderers also. And who tells a killer that they are going to turn them in to the police, I mean, without backup?
50 cent told me "you can run for your back up, but these machinegun shells gone tear your back up!"
So they have not proved that he raped and kidnapped them but they say he killed them put a bounty on his head without proving that he did these things. I don't know the state procucutors are always trumping up charges that are not real. They do not care as long as they get paid. I don't trust what the state say about anyone. Not without proof. More than a grainy film and heresay. The state should not pay for prosecuting before a person has been in jail. They put up all this evidence to sway people into believing the states case. They should not be allowed to air a case before it has been to trial. People are too easily swayed.
Just curious, how do you get put in jail without being prosecuted?
I agree with you...but by the tone of your comment you sound like you may have caught a case or two in the past??
kellen, I'm with you actually. There shouldn't even be juries. It should be the Judges that handle the cases. Also, I think it's high damn time that we had a constitutional ammendment that states that you can't be charged with a crime that you did not commit, and that you cannot be charged with crimes unless there is solid evidence, and that is excluding witness testimony. I read a story a while back about a guy who went to pick up his friend to give him a ride. The driver was then arrested and charged with accessory to murder or something, because he didn't even know that his friend had just killed somebody. Our criminal justice system is such a joke.
Also, we should get rid of the "parole" system, for-profit prisons, and even do away with the criminal record system.
Wow, Newswinner101, delusional much?
kellen is just another low-life loser. He'll be back in the hole shortly, if he's not there already.
my post > Just curious, how do you get put in jail without being prosecuted?
Its easy get arrested for a crime you either committed or did not commit. Get a drunken disorderly sleep it off and get out. LOL or have the DA drop the charges when more evidence shows up proving you did not commit a crime.
Or how about the people who get arrested for a mistaken identity. Serve 20 years and oops DNA was wrong. Or the people who get arrested cant afford the bail and have to sit in jail for a year or more awaiting trial?
Ok back to the story another cartel hitman in jail. But don't worry three more will fight to take his place. The Drug war is a failure. Its all about supplying the DEMAND.
I would execute him on site...done and over with ....no investigation or court dates needed anymore....
kellen miller-3157131 -I'm guessing the surveillance video of him executing a man is not proof of what he did? That's enough for at least a life sentence and with DNA evidence advanced as it has become I'm sure it won't be too difficult to know for sure if he did it or not. Killing his ex-girlfriend because he thought she would tell the police about the gang killings. IF he was innocent of these things why go through extensive measures to change his appearance, remove his tats and even trying to destroy his own fingerprints. You have got to be kidding thinking he's innocent.
Of course he's innocent....Casey Anthony told me so.
MY POST: I am glad to know there is at least one person here who does not know how people wind up in jail without being prosecuted.
That's kinda like telling me you got a squeaky clean arrest record, don't know any street or jailhouse lawyers, and don't watch too much CSI, Law and Order, etc....
:)
So if anything you say can and will be used against you. That goes both ways pertaining to making statements to someones guilt before a trial. I believe it is a constitutional right that being incriminated by the state before a trial has began is unconstitutional. They do not get the luxury of incriminating a person before they have been to trial. Doing so violates due process. And is always going to sway people before a jury has been selected. But that bastard is probably guilty and should have been mistakingly shot in mexico does not change my views.
That's right people, sure, give him a fair trial .... then shoot the SOB!
Ya I have been in a case or two. I won. Thankyou.
Congrats bro, hope all is well now.
After winning is when all my real problems began. So I say fu ck the prosecution to hell. They are as crazy as everyone else when it comes to winning. Sore losers.
Im not a very big fan of prosecutors overcharging either, and then the accused's attorney makes a bunch of money by arguing that the charge should be reduced. Nor do I like loose sentencing guidelines - ok so, that guy gets 3-5 for killing his neighbor, because the man looked like his uncle who abused him as a toddler; but this guy gets life for killing his neighbor's cat, because he harbored malice and fury towards all cats. And 500 counts of misdemeanor nose-picking, at 2 months each, still puts you in for a good while. Makes no sense.
OK, so do you think that we would be better off if the prosecutor had to be personally liable for any cases where he/she is wrong? Probably zero convictions of innocents, but a lot of guilty would go free. And no one but a moron would take the prosecutor job. Who knows?
If there is a warrant for your arrest, and if you run, yes you can be put into jail. The FBI then goes to court to show that you are a flight risk and there you stay until your trial. Of course you get credit for time served but life, big deal. The FBI never stops looking for you. Also, makes no different if your parents are from Mexico. Everyone knows by your accent that you are not Mexican. Soon the police know and if the FBI is looking for you, off you go to prison. I also question the statement about all the Mexican criminals in Colorado etc. If any police officer knew about them, they would be in prison.
I know the papers never put this, but I am very curious since he is a U.S. Citizen if he is an anchor baby where his parents were illegal immigrants ( undocumented democrats). I often think crimes like this ( if he is the son or grandson of an illegal) should be factored into the crimes of the illegal invasion of our nation.
I know "they stole it from the indians" but there was no country then and if the settlers never came here I have no doubt that the illegals would be leaving mexico and skipping through the usa on their way to canada. You notice they are not breaking into the countries to the southern border.
If that's your logic then what about White Americans that commit crimes? At one point, some of their ancestors were illegal as well. You get where I'm getting at right?
Congrats, you're an idiotic and repulsive human being.
How dare you mention anchor babies or illegal immigrants. You have to be politically correct to comment here. You must be a racist for even writing that or mentioning the 24,000 Americans killed each year by illegal immigrants or the billions of dollars they cost American taxpayers each year.
Angel ... The odds against a "white" citizen ancestor being an illegal alien are pretty high. The regions being over run by our neighbors from the south were settled by the spanish, stone age tribes either eliminated or starved onto the missions and then absorbed as a work force for the large spanish land grants. After a war with Mexico that resulted from the Mexican violation (even then) of the southern international border, which Mexico lost, the regions were bought and paid for in exchange for immunity from war damage claims. At the end of the war there was a question about annexing the entire country, gratefully the generals who had been there talked some sense those who considered it ... even then it was not worth the bother.
JW ..... The term "race" when discussing a citizen of Mexico/hispanic/whatever is just lunacy. The descendants of the brutal spanish colonial system are a mix of northern and southern european, remnants of the aboriginals and a little subsahara african thrown in ... they can not in any way be a "race". The problem is the culture not a race, for some odd reason not one hispanic culture region that is not a cesspool.
It's cases like these that make me wish we could bring back medieval forms of execution, like being flayed alive.
Murder, changed identity . This entire article sounds more like American political norms than anything. The FBI wanted him to apply for their department, that is why he was on the most wanted list.
The lengths people will go to to keep from working for Massad or the FBI has no end.
So the extreme was to move, remove his tats and use 20 different names. Gee, I was expecting something more interesting... And how is this guy different than a hit man for the Mob?
I believe that this individual would have a great opportunity to turn over a new leaf to serve as a skeet target.... It would be a splendid experience for hunters to shoot at a live Target - flailing as it flies overhead... Of course it can be re-launched to make maximum benefit available for those lucky enough to have this rare opportunity to shoot at a live piece of S**T as it becomes available. And of course after it stops moving, it can be used as a long range stationary target at a rifle range.... Allow nothing to go to waste with this live piece of s**t.....
Hell of a lot more entertaining than ballistic gel, too. And worth even less.
Wow...paranoid, innovative, imaginative....impressive! Execute him.
They can run.....but they cannot hide......the world is too small.
.....................AIR....................SEA.....................LAND..................
........................................GREAT JOB!...........................................
Just another burrito head going to prison .
Life really will not change for him. In prison he can still kill and rape, sell drugs, be a hit man etc. and it will all be done in a family reunion type atmosphere!
thank you for your time.