Fugitive extradited from Mexico and sentenced for 1998 murder in Ventura County
A fugitive accused of killing another man in Ventura County in 1998 has been sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison.
The Ventura County District Attorney's Office said Manuel Alejandro Vasquez, 48, and two other men, David Hampton and Jose Vazquez, conspired to kill Feliopoe Arambula in Ventura over an alleged unpaid debt.
Prosecutors said Manuel Vasquez and Hampton were hired by Jose Vazquez to go to Arambula's home to kidnap and extort him for money, but Hampton ended up shooting and killing the man on June 13, 1998.
Hampton and Jose Vazquez were convicted of murder the following year and were both sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, Manuel Vasquez fled to Mexico before any of the charges were filed against him.
He remained on the run for roughly 25 years until law enforcement finally tracked him down in 2023. He was extradited to Ventura County in April 2025.
"Despite waiting nearly 30 years for justice, the victim's family never wavered in their belief that one day all the men responsible for the victim's murder would be successfully prosecuted," Senior Deputy District Attorney John Barrick said.
Prosecutors said Manuel Alejandro Vasquez, 48, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on Sept. 30, 2026.
"Special thanks to the Ventura Police Department for their dedication and hard work regarding this case, which would not have been solved but for their tireless efforts," Barrick said.
