Alejandro Rosales Castillo Returned to North Carolina to Face Murder Charges in 2016 Killing

A fugitive who spent nearly a decade evading U.S. authorities after being charged with murder has been returned to North Carolina, marking a significant development in one of the region’s most closely followed cold-case prosecutions.

Federal authorities confirmed that Alejandro Rosales Castillo, also known as Alex Castillo, is now back in Charlotte after being captured in Mexico and transferred into U.S. custody. Castillo had been on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list since 2017 in connection with the killing of 23-year-old Truc Quan Sandy Ly Le, whose body was discovered in a wooded area of Cabarrus County in August 2016.

Castillo was apprehended on January 16, 2026, in Pachuca, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo, following coordination between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement agencies. According to federal officials, the operation involved the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Mexico City working alongside Mexico’s federal investigative and security services, including specialized vetted units responsible for cross-border fugitive apprehensions. After being taken into custody, Castillo was transferred to U.S. authorities and returned to Charlotte to face long-standing charges.

The case dates back to the summer of 2016, when Ly Le, a Charlotte resident, was reported missing. Days later, her body was located, triggering a homicide investigation that quickly identified Castillo as the primary suspect. State authorities issued an arrest warrant in Mecklenburg County charging him with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and larceny of a motor vehicle. When Castillo fled the United States, federal prosecutors obtained an additional warrant charging him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, escalating the case into a multi-jurisdictional manhunt.

In October 2017, the FBI elevated the search by placing Castillo on its Ten Most Wanted list, a designation reserved for fugitives accused of particularly serious violent crimes and whose capture is considered a national priority. His placement made him the 516th individual added to the list since its creation in 1950, a program that has resulted in the apprehension or location of the overwhelming majority of those named.

Federal officials emphasized that Castillo’s capture reflects the growing reach of international law enforcement cooperation in cases involving violent crime. While Castillo remained outside U.S. borders for years, investigators continued to pursue leads, monitor international movements, and work with foreign partners to locate and detain him. Authorities noted that geographic distance and time did not diminish the resolve to bring the case back before the courts.

With Castillo now in custody, the legal process moves from pursuit to prosecution. He is expected to face proceedings in North Carolina state court related to the original homicide and associated charges, with federal authorities having already fulfilled the role of securing his return. Prosecutors and investigators described the transfer as a critical step toward accountability, particularly for the victim’s family, who have waited years for the case to advance.

Law enforcement officials involved in the case highlighted the cumulative effort required to resolve long-running fugitive investigations. Local detectives, federal agents, prosecutors, and international partners each played roles at different stages of the search, from the initial homicide investigation to the cross-border coordination that led to Castillo’s arrest. Authorities stressed that the outcome sends a clear signal that fleeing the country does not place suspects beyond the reach of justice.

The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted program, now more than seven decades old, continues to function as a central tool in drawing attention and resources to high-priority fugitives. Of the 537 individuals placed on the list since 1950, 499 have ultimately been apprehended or located, underscoring the program’s long-term effectiveness even in cases that span many years.

For the Charlotte community and for the family of Sandy Ly Le, Castillo’s return does not erase the loss or the time that has passed. But it does reopen the path toward judicial resolution in a case that has remained unfinished since 2016. With the fugitive now back in the United States, the focus turns to court proceedings and the pursuit of a final legal reckoning.

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