Authorities say the suspect fled the United States after the 2017 homicide. His return marks the latest success in a years-long international effort involving the FBI, Mexican authorities, INTERPOL, and multiple U.S. law enforcement agencies.
A Sacramento County homicide investigation that remained active for nearly eight years has reached a significant milestone after the FBI returned an accused murder suspect from Mexico to California to face prosecution.
The FBI Sacramento Field Office announced that Jose Guadalupe Lopez Nunez, a Mexican national wanted in connection with the death of Emelina Quintero-Ramos, was extradited to the United States on July 2, 2026. He made his first appearance in Sacramento Superior Court on July 7, where criminal proceedings against him officially resumed.
According to the FBI, Lopez Nunez was apprehended on August 31, 2025, near Mezquital del Oro in the Mexican state of Zacatecas after investigators received a tip from a member of the public. Authorities said the information ultimately led to his arrest after years of searching.
Investigators allege the homicide occurred in early September 2017.
According to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, an angler discovered the body of Emelina Quintero-Ramos in the Sacramento River near Isleton on September 4, 2017. Detectives determined the death was a homicide and launched an extensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
Following the investigation, prosecutors obtained a felony warrant for Lopez Nunez on October 16, 2017, alleging he killed Quintero-Ramos, who investigators identified as his girlfriend, before disposing of her body in the Sacramento River in an attempt to conceal the crime.
Authorities later determined Lopez Nunez had fled the United States.
As a result, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California issued a federal warrant charging him with Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution (UFAP) on October 24, 2017. The charge allows federal authorities to pursue individuals who cross state or international borders to avoid prosecution on state criminal charges and frequently serves as the legal mechanism allowing the FBI to investigate fugitives wanted by local jurisdictions.
The FBI subsequently issued a wanted poster and began coordinating with domestic and international law enforcement partners to locate the fugitive.
International fugitive investigations often require years of cooperation between federal agencies, foreign governments, prosecutors, and organizations such as INTERPOL, particularly when suspects are believed to have fled outside the United States. Extradition proceedings frequently involve lengthy legal reviews in both countries before a suspect can be returned to face prosecution.
According to the FBI, Lopez Nunez’s return to California was coordinated through a partnership involving the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Mexico City, and the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Mexico.
His transportation back to the United States was funded through Project Welcome Home, a federal program that assists state and local jurisdictions with the cost of returning fugitives who have fled the country to avoid prosecution. The initiative helps ensure that financial limitations do not prevent local prosecutors from bringing accused fugitives back to face criminal proceedings.
In announcing the extradition, FBI Sacramento Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Tosh said investigators hope the suspect’s return provides some measure of relief to the family of Emelina Quintero-Ramos after years of waiting for the case to move forward.
Tosh also emphasized that public tips remain one of the FBI’s most effective investigative tools. Information provided by members of the public frequently assists investigators in locating fugitives, recovering missing children, identifying suspects, and advancing long-running investigations that might otherwise remain unresolved.
Federal authorities continue encouraging anyone with information regarding fugitives or other ongoing investigations to contact the FBI through their local field office, the nearest U.S. embassy, or by submitting information through the Bureau’s online tip system.
Although Lopez Nunez has now been returned to California, the criminal case remains pending. The allegations contained in the charging documents have not been proven in court, and under the United States justice system, all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Nice work here done by all of the different agencies involved in this effort. I’m so glad they found this suspect after all these years and I know he will get a fair trail and, if found guilty, I hope he is held accountable for the seriousness of this crime.
Thank you for this article.
You’re very welcome, Chris.
This case is a good example of how investigations don’t simply end because someone crosses an international border. It took years of work and cooperation between multiple agencies, along with information from the public, to finally bring the case back before the court. People who run, thinking they can get away with their crimes, need to realize that times have changed. Fleeing to another country is no longer the guarantee of escape that it may once have been.
I’m also glad the victim’s family will finally have the opportunity to see the case move forward after such a long wait. Like you, I hope he is held accountable if he is found guilty. Eight years is a long time to wait for that next step in the judicial process, and now that time has finally come.
Thank you again for reading the article and for taking the time to leave another thoughtful comment, Chris. I greatly appreciate your continued support, and I hope you have a great night and a great day ahead. 😎
You’re welcome, John, and thank you for taking the time to make this comment. I’m also glad that the family will have a chance to see the case move forward. Eight years is a long time.
It is a good thing that it is getting more difficult to hide because the efforts to find bad guys go on for a long time. Technology has also helped I’m sure along with reward money.
Thank you again for this article, John, and I hope you have a great day ahead!😊