U.S. fugitive captured in Mexico 73 minutes after being added to FBI's most wanted list, fastest arrest in history
A U.S. fugitive was captured in Mexico just over an hour after being added to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, making it the fastest arrest time in the history of the list and breaking a record set over 55 years ago.
Samuel Ramirez Jr., 33, was wanted for his alleged involvement in the murders of two women on May 21, 2023, at a bar in Federal Way, Washington, the Justice Department said in a news release. A third person was also injured in the incident. Federal Way Police Chief Andy Hwang identified the victims as Jessyca Hohn and Katie Duhnke.
An arrest warrant was issued charging him with the crimes, but Ramirez was believed to have fled the country after the killings. In November 2025, he was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution and a federal arrest warrant was issued, the Justice Department said. On December 10, 2025, the FBI announced a reward of up to $25,000 for his arrest and conviction.
The FBI increased the award amount to up to $1 million on Tuesday. He was added to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List that same day.
Just an hour and 13 minutes later, Ramirez was captured without incident in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. The FBI credited its Legal Attaché office in Mexico City, the U.S. Attorney's Office Western District of Washington, and Mexican authorities with his apprehension.
The previous record for the shortest arrest time in 1969, when a man was arrested two hours after being added to the list.
Ramirez was deported from Mexico to the U.S. and returned to Washington on Wednesday night, the Justice Department said. He will be booked into jail in King County, Washington. He will next appear in court for his arraignment, in about two weeks, the Justice Department said.
In a statement, Mexico's government confimed the details of Ramirez's arrest and reaffirmed its "commitment to work in a coordinated manner with international authorities to detain individuals wanted in other countries."
Ramirez's capture comes just weeks after former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, who was also on the FBI's most wanted list, was arrested in Mexico. Wedding, who was on the run for over a year, pleaded not guilty in January to 17 felony charges alleging that he operated a Mexican drug cartel.
