Murder Suspect Known as ‘El Diablo’ and Wanted for 2004 Ohio Shooting Located Working as Police Officer in Mexico
Antonio Riano was recently arrested in Mexico after running from law enforcement for 20 years, officials said.
Aug. 8 2024, Updated 11:35 a.m. ET
A man known as El Diablo, “The Devil”, who has been on the run from law enforcement for 20 years has been located and arrested in Mexico, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
On Aug. 1, the U.S. Marshals Service announced Antonio Riano, who was once profiled on America’s Most Wanted for the alleged shooting and killing of 25-year-old Benjamin Becarra in 2004, was found in Zapotitlan Palmas in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, Front Page Detectives reported.
Heitmann was arrested and charged with DUI after failing her field sobriety tests, police said.
Riano was reportedly working as a police officer in his hometown when marshals and Mexican police took him into custody.
On Dec. 19, 2004, Riano and Becarra reportedly got into a fight at a bar, according to court documents obtained by WKRC-TV.
Hammond told the shooter to not touch her anymore and rebuffed his advances at work.
Nicole Hammond was fatally shot in the parking lot of her work in October 2022.
On Feb. 14, 2005, Riano was indicted and U.S. Marshals believe he fled the country to avoid prosecution.
Riano was previously given the nickname “El Diablo” or “The Devil".
Riano was now booked into jail in Ohio and faces murder and assault charges, according to police.
A local news station in Mexico reportedly asked Riano why he worked as a police officer, and he responded, “I wanted to help the people of Mexico".
Before his arrest, Riano was added to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office Most Wanted list. His case was also featured on a 2005 episode of America’s Most Wanted.
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Following his arrest, Riano was flown to Cincinnati and booked into the Butler County Jail, where he was charged with two counts of murder and one count of felonious assault, officials said.
In a statement, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio Michael Black said, "In every violent crime, there’s a victim. We want to bring closure to this case and give that family some peace, knowing that we didn’t stop and that we kept looking for this violent fugitive and were able to catch him and bring him back."
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