A man believed to be connected to the 2019 fatal ambush of an American family in northern Mexico was arrested in New Mexico, federal officials said Wednesday.
Ivan Gustavo Hernandez-Cabral, 24, was arrested Sept. 4 after authorities with the U.S Marshal’s Service received a tip that he was involved in a deadly ambush that left three women and six children dead along a roadside in Sonora, CBS News reported.
The victims were identified as Christina Marie Langford Johnson, 29; Dawna Langford, 43; Trevor Langford, 11; Rogan Langford, 2-and-a-half; Rhonita Miller, 30; Howard Miller, 12; Krystal Miller, 10; and 8-month-old twins, Titus and Tiana Miller, NBC reported at the time.
The U.S. Marshals Service said Ivan Gustavo Hernandez-Cabral, 24, was taken into custody Monday in Albuquerque after the agency acted on a tip. Details of the arrest haven’t been released.
Marshal Service officials said Hernandez-Cabral was being held pending extradition to… pic.twitter.com/QpLGJ2inJD
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The families were reportedly headed to a wedding when they inadvertently drove through an area that had been the site of a shootout for rival gangs earlier in the day. Their cars were fired upon after one of the cartels mistook them as rivals, CBS News reported. After firing “hundreds of rounds” of ammunition into the vehicles, the perpetrators then set the cars on fire, according to another report from CBS News. (RELATED: US Judge Awards Families Of Drug Cartel Victims Billions – There’s Just One Problem)
Though prosecutors in Mexico revealed that approximately 20 suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident in Feb. 2021, it was acknowledged that more warrants remained outstanding in the case, the outlet stated.
Hernandez-Cabral was initially arrested with seven other individuals for illegally entering New Mexico on July 27, KRQE reported. The United States Marshals Service in Las Cruces contacted Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) regarding Hernandez-Cabral, who was later taken into their custody to await extradition to Mexico for his alleged role in the ambush, the outlet stated.
“This arrest represents our relentless and unwavering dedication, along with our partners, in tracking down and apprehending violent foreign fugitives,” U.S. Marshal for the District of New Mexico Sonya K. Chavez, stated according to KRQE. “Don’t come to the State of New Mexico and attempt to hide, we will find you and ensure justice is served,” Chavez continued.