Highlights
- Abraham Rafael Pedroza-Garcia, 65, was extradited to Arizona on Sept. 11, 2026, after fleeing to Mexico following a 2000 double stabbing.
- Pedroza-Garcia allegedly stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death and stabbed her partner inside her Phoenix home on April 1, 2000.
- The U.S. Marshals Service District of Arizona adopted the fugitive investigation in 2023; investigators located him in Mexico in 2024.
- He now faces pending charges of murder, aggravated assault, and burglary in Maricopa County.
A 65-year-old man wanted for a 2000 Phoenix murder was returned to Arizona on Friday after spending more than two decades as a fugitive in Mexico, the U.S. Marshals Service announced.
Abraham Rafael Pedroza-Garcia was extradited to Arizona on Sept. 11, 2026, to face charges of murder, aggravated assault, and burglary, according to the U.S. Marshals Service via AZFamily. Federal investigators say Pedroza-Garcia stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death and stabbed her partner inside her home on April 1, 2000, then fled. An Arizona arrest warrant was issued for him on Sept. 13, 2000.
The case went cold for more than two decades before the Phoenix Police Department and Maricopa County Attorney's Office sought help from the U.S. Marshals Service District of Arizona WANTED Violent Offender Task Force in 2023. Investigators learned in 2024 that Pedroza-Garcia was living in Mexico. A Mexican arrest warrant was issued in April 2026, and he was caught in May 2026. He was returned to Arizona without incident, FOX 10 Phoenix reported.
What agency led the extradition effort?
The U.S. Marshals Service District of Arizona WANTED Violent Offender Task Force took over the fugitive investigation in 2023 at the request of the Phoenix Police Department and Maricopa County Attorney's Office. Investigators used international resources to locate Pedroza-Garcia in Mexico in 2024, leading to a Mexican arrest warrant and his capture the following spring.
U.S. Marshal Van Bayless credited the multi-agency effort in a written statement: "The successful apprehension and return of Pedroza-Garcia to Arizona reflects the outstanding investigative work and cooperation of the Phoenix Police Department, Maricopa County Attorney's Office, U.S. Marshals Service and Mexican authorities." Bayless added that "the passage of time and international borders will not prevent law enforcement from pursuing those accused of violent crimes and bringing them before the court."
Perdroza-Garcia is now in custody in Maricopa County awaiting proceedings on the pending charges.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- AZ Family (3TV/CBS5) retrieved 11/09/2026 22:09
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 11/09/2026 22:09. Every claim traces to a source.
