Timeline: The hunt for the fugitive accused of murdering Wake deputy, from escape to arrest
The wanted fugitive accused of killing a Wake County Sheriff’s Deputy was taken into custody by Mexican authorities in the state of Guerrero, the FBI announced Thursday.
Alder Alfonso Marin Sotelo, 26, escaped from a Virginia jail on Sunday and led the FBI and other law enforcement agencies on an international manhunt.
Marin Sotelo and his brother Arturo Marin Sotelo, 29, were charged with the murder in the Aug. 12 death of Ned Byrd, a 48-year-old K-9 officer.
The two men are Mexican citizens. After Byrd’s killing, the brothers evaded authorities for several days before being taken into custody on Aug. 16 near Winston-Salem.
The Marin Sotelo brothers are natives of the coast of Guerrero, according to Spanish-language newspaper Qué Pasa.
Here’s a timeline of the events that trace Alder’s Marin Sotelo’s escape, the manhunt and his arrest.
Alder Marin Sotelo’s escape and capture
▪ Sunday, April 30, around 1:18 a.m. — Marin Sotelo escapes from Piedmont Regional Jail in Farmville, Virginia, while in custody for federal charges that include unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
He was seen on surveillance video around 1:30 a.m. climbing a fence and escaping in an early 2000s red-colored Ford Mustang with a 30-day temporary tag, according to the FBI.
He escaped hours before another inmate, Bruce Callahan, also escaped. Callahan, from North Carolina, escaped around 11:14 p.m., the Prince Edward County Sheriff’s Office said.
▪ Monday, May 1, 4 a.m. — The Prince Edward County Sheriff’s Department learns of the escapes. The Sheriff’s Department announces the escape later in the morning. The searches for Marin Sotelo and Callahan are turned over to U.S. Marshals and also the FBI.
Marin Sotelo was gone for more than 24 hours before guards noticed he had escaped, jail officials confirmed to media outlets.
▪ Tuesday, May 2 —The FBI continues its manhunt for Marin Sotelo and announces a $50,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
Authorities arrest Adriana Marin Sotelo, sister of the Marin Sotelo brothers, in High Point.
She is charged with helping her brother escape from jail, according to federal court documents obtained by ABC11, The News & Observer’s newsgathering partner.
She is alleged to have paid someone $2,500 to leave a car in the jail parking lot for her brother to use in his escape.
▪ Wednesday, May 3 — The U.S. Marshal Service adds up to $20,000 to the FBI’s $50,000 reward for a total of up to $70,000.
The FBI asks the public to share its recent photos of Marin Sotelo and his getaway car.
▪ Thursday, May 4, around 1 p.m. EST — Marin Sotelo is arrested by authorities in the Mexican state of Guerrero after a four-day international manhunt.
Guerrero is located on the southern coast of Mexico and is more than 2,300 miles from Raleigh.
The FBI continues to investigate Marin Sotelo’s movements since his escape. Authorities have not recovered the getaway car.
▪ Monday, May 8 — Callahan, the second inmate, is caught at Longwood University, not far from the jail, according to the Prince Edward County Sheriff’s Office. Police found Callahan after he walked to a campus park and pulled an outdoor fire alarm, according to the sheriff’s office. Callahan asked for medical treatment while surrendering to police, the sheriff’s office reported.
▪ Tuesday, May 9, morning —Marin Sotelo’s getaway vehicle, a 2003 Ford Mustang was located in Eagle Pass, Texas, the FBI reported. The city is on the U.S.-Mexico border, about 24 hours from Farmville and about 20 hours from Guerrero.
This story was originally published May 4, 2023 at 4:29 PM.
