Antonio Riano, 72, arrested in his hometown after nearly two decades on the run

ZAPOTITLÁN PALMAS, Oaxaca, Mexico — A fugitive wanted for murder in Ohio since 2004 has been arrested after authorities discovered him working as a police officer in his hometown in Mexico.

Antonio Riano, 72, was taken into custody on August 1 in Zapotitlán Palmas, Oaxaca, where he had been employed as a local police officer for years. The arrest was carried out by Mexican federal authorities in coordination with the U.S. Marshals Service.

Riano had been on Ohio’s most-wanted list for nearly 20 years in connection with the 2004 shooting death of 25-year-old Benjamin Becerra in Butler County. He fled to Mexico shortly after the killing. His case was featured on America’s Most Wanted in 2005 and remained one of Butler County’s top fugitives until his capture.

The breakthrough came through cross-border cooperation, including updated facial recognition technology and intelligence sharing between U.S. and Mexican authorities.

Riano is expected to be extradited to the United States to face charges in the decades-old murder case. His arrest highlights the ongoing success of efforts to track American fugitives who have sought refuge in Mexico.