A man accused of killing his girlfriend in National City in 2005 has been arrested more than seven years after the alleged homicide.
According to the National City Police Department, suspect Victor Hugo Sanchez, 47, was wanted in connection with the murder of his girlfriend, 36-year-old Agapita Gonzalez.
On October 24, 2005, Gonzalez’s body was discovered by family members inside her apartment on the 500 block of East 16th Street after loved ones had been unable to reach her for two days.
Investigators say her body was found in her bedroom with obvious signs of trauma.
National City detectives honed in on her boyfriend, Sanchez, early on in the 2005 investigation, but he fled to Mexico.
An arrest warrant for murder was obtained against Sanchez and the U.S. Marshals and Mexican law enforcement were notified. Ever since then, authorities have been looking for him.
Now, more than seven years later, officials have arrested Sanchez on suspicion of Gonzalez’s murder. Officials say he was taken into custody on Friday in Yucatan, Mexico.
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Investigators in the U.S. received a call from Mexican authorities reporting they had detained a man matching Sanchez’s description. His identity was confirmed shortly thereafter and he was extradited back to the U.S.
Sanchez arrived in Los Angeles on Sunday and was turned over to U.S. Marshals. National City police traveled to L.A. and took custody of the fugitive, who has since been booked into San Diego Central Jail.
Sanchez is now facing a first-degree murder charge and a charge for violating parole. He’s scheduled to appear in court Mar. 13.
Authorities say this case exemplifies the importance of efficient, working relationships between the National City Police Department, U.S. Marshals and Mexican police authorities.
Working together, officers on both sides of the border were able to capture Sanchez and reopen a case that had grown cold.
