Virginia Murder Suspect from 1991 Nabbed in Costa Rica After 30 Years
A man, who had fled the country following charges of murdering his wife over three decades ago in northern Virginia, has been extradited to the United States to confront the allegations, as announced by the police on Monday.
During a press briefing on Monday, officers from the Fairfax County Police disclosed that Jose Lazaro Cruz is facing charges related to the fatal stabbing of his wife, Ana Jurado, aged 24, in 1991 in West Falls Church.
She was discovered with “trauma to the upper body,” and the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue personnel pronounced her dead at the scene.
It was revealed during the press conference that at the time of her tragic death, Jurado had three young children.
However, law enforcement officials stated that at the age of 24, Lazaro Cruz left the country by utilizing the southern border with the assistance of a smuggler and resettled in El Salvador.
During that period, El Salvador lacked legal provisions for the extradition of individuals sought by the United States.
Virginia Detectives Locate Lazaro Cruz
Nevertheless, in 1999, detectives from Virginia undertook a journey to El Salvador, where they “collected crucial information about Lazaro Cruz’s whereabouts, and their meticulous efforts persisted in laying the groundwork for a comprehensive investigation,” according to statements from the Fairfax Police.
Lazaro Cruz was apprehended in 2022 while attempting to enter Costa Rica. Following an extensive extradition process, he was returned to the United States and is currently incarcerated at the Fairfax County jail pending trial.
On Monday, the police released two images of Lazaro Cruz, one from the 1990s and another following his arrest.
Deputy Chief of Investigations Eli Cory revealed that Lazaro Cruz had remarried, had several children in El Salvador, and worked as a truck driver. He was apprehended while crossing the border into Costa Rica to visit family members.
Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis remarked, “He evaded accountability for something he did nearly 33 years ago. We’ve never forgotten the family. We’ve never forgotten the seriousness of this crime. And we never stopped.”
Individuals with additional information about the case are encouraged to contact the Fairfax County Police Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800.
