Fugitive suspected of 3 slayings returned to U.S.
By Daniel Wolowicz camarillo@theacorn.com

Rudolfo Negrete

Local and federal police officials announced at a press conference late last week that a Mexican fugitive suspected of killing three people just outside Camarillo in 2004 has been extradited from Mexico and is behind bars in Ventura.

R u d o l f o Negrete, 25, a onetime resident of Oxnard, was arrested outside Acapulco, Mexico, in October. He has been charged with three counts of felony murder and is being held without bail.

The U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force was able to locate Negrete with the help of citizen tips and police surveillance. He was spotted Oct. 20 leaving a house outside Acapulco and was arrested by Mexican and U.S. law enforcement officials.

Negrete was wanted in connection with the slayings of Daniel Campos from Oxnard and Kern County residents Alex Jordan, 24, and his pregnant wife, Cynthia Jordan, 22.

All three were shot executionstyle on the night of April 17, 2004.

Campos' body was discovered a few miles from where the Jordans' remains were found in the rural area south of Camarillo between the city and California State University at Channel Islands.

The case, featured on a 2005 episode of "America's Most Wanted," initially baffled investigators.

Witnesses later revealed that on the night he was slain, Campos, who reportedly had no gang connections, had been a passenger in a car with Negrete and an acquaintance, Jose Manuel Ramirez.

Campos was shot in the back of the head when he got out of the vehicle.

Police said there was no apparent motive for the slaying.

"That's probably been one of the most painful things for the family, is that there's literally no reason that anyone can find," said Rob Davidson, a Ventura County Sheriff's Department detective.

"Let it be known that for all those who hide in another country, it makes no difference how long you hide, you will eventually be captured," said Julia Campos, the victim's mother. "You will eventually have to pay for what you did to an innocent bystander. No one has the right to take the life of another."

On the night Campos was killed, Negrete and Ramirez had parted before Negrete met Alex and Cynthia Jordan at a gas station, police said. According to officials, Negrete robbed and killed the couple. Their car was found burned two days later.

Police officials said, however, that Negrete's arrest and swift return to the United States is proof that U.S. and Mexican federal agents are cooperating in the extradition of violent criminals.

"I've had a lot of dealings with bilateral cases for the last 20 years, really, and the cooperation right now is probably the best that I've seen, and it continues to get better," said Cmdr. John Clark of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Negrete is being held at the Main Jail in Ventura. He is due back in court May 11 for arraignment.

"It's not acceptable to plead with your feet and run away from crimes because it's not going to be tolerated on either side of the border," Clark said. "If you're wanted for a violent crime, you're going to be held accountable for those actions, and both countries will see to it."