CALIFORNIA MAN EXTRADITED TO EL SALVADOR TO FACE MURDER CHARGES IN 2019 KILLING OF WOMAN AND ABANDONMENT OF TODDLER SON

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A 27-year-old Southern California man has been extradited to El Salvador to face criminal charges in connection with the 2019 killing of a woman and the abandonment of their toddler son, who was discovered several days later in a remote area suffering from severe dehydration, starvation, and signs of physical abuse.

Michael Alejandro Castillo Murga, a dual U.S.-Salvadoran citizen from Beaumont, California, was transferred to Salvadoran authorities on October 28, 2026, following an extradition process initiated nearly two years earlier. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the transfer marks the first time the United States has extradited one of its own nationals to El Salvador to face prosecution for crimes committed in that country.

Castillo Murga faces charges of aggravated feminicide and imperfect homicide under Salvadoran law. The allegations involve the violent death of the mother of his child and the circumstances that endangered their young son’s life. He has not been convicted of those offenses, and the criminal case will proceed through El Salvador’s judicial system.

According to the extradition request, Castillo Murga and the victim began a romantic relationship in 2014. Their son was born in 2017, but investigators reported that Castillo Murga’s financial support and visits were inconsistent. He allegedly reassured the woman that he would continue supporting their child, occasionally leaving money outside his residence for her to collect.

On January 31, 2019, Castillo Murga reportedly collected the woman and their son from her mother’s home, claiming he intended to take them to a rented residence where they could begin living together as a family. Salvadoran investigators allege that he instead attacked and killed the woman before abandoning the child near the location of the crime.

Authorities discovered the woman’s body near a highway on February 1, 2019. An autopsy determined that she died from massive blood loss caused by injuries to blood vessels in her neck, along with additional wounds associated with a plastic knife recovered at the scene.

Investigators identified several pieces of evidence connecting Castillo Murga to the alleged attack. Cellular telephone records placed his device in the vicinity of the killing, while two witnesses reported observing a tall, thin individual assaulting a woman inside the back seat of a gray vehicle as she struggled and screamed. Investigators also reported that Castillo Murga ignored calls and messages from his girlfriend before sending her a photograph showing bloodstains on his face and neck.

Approximately four days after the killing, agricultural workers discovered the couple’s son in rugged terrain near where the woman’s body had been located. The child, who was younger than two years old, was in critical physical condition. Medical personnel documented severe dehydration, malnutrition, facial cuts, dry lips and nose, and insect bites. Authorities concluded that prolonged exposure to the environment had placed his life in danger.

The investigation also uncovered evidence of an alleged effort to conceal the crime. Salvadoran authorities reported that Castillo Murga’s girlfriend, grandmother, and a lawyer were involved in activities intended to obstruct discovery of the woman’s death and the child’s abandonment. According to investigators, the grandmother and lawyer instructed two individuals to clean blood from the interior and exterior of Castillo Murga’s vehicle using water, automotive shampoo, and vinegar. The cleaning effort reportedly failed to remove all visible blood.

Around February 2, 2019, Castillo Murga allegedly fled El Salvador for Guatemala with assistance from his grandmother and lawyer before eventually entering the United States. Salvadoran authorities sought his extradition to answer the criminal charges.

The U.S. Marshals Service arrested Castillo Murga in October 2024 following the Salvadoran government’s formal request. On July 28, 2025, U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym certified the case for extradition, allowing the matter to proceed through the required federal judicial and executive review.

Castillo Murga challenged the decision by filing a petition for a writ of habeas corpus. U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb denied that petition on November 5, 2025. After the Secretary of State issued a warrant authorizing his surrender, Castillo Murga sought to delay the transfer, but Judge Holcomb rejected his request for a stay on September 24, 2026.

Trial Attorneys Reena T. Mittelman and Amanda Matey Pyles of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs handled the extradition proceedings alongside Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Lulejian for the Central District of California. The U.S. Marshals Service coordinated Castillo Murga’s transportation and transfer into Salvadoran custody.

The extradition represents a significant development in judicial cooperation between the United States and El Salvador, particularly because the defendant holds American citizenship. It also demonstrates the legal procedures involved when foreign authorities seek the return of a U.S. national to face prosecution for alleged crimes committed abroad.

Castillo Murga’s extradition does not establish criminal guilt. Salvadoran prosecutors must prove the charges through the applicable judicial process, including the evidence surrounding the woman’s death and the circumstances under which their child was abandoned.

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