José Rodolfo Villarreal-Hernandez, known as “El Gato,” has been extradited from Mexico to the U.S. He is connected to a murder-for-hire case from 2013, where a lawyer named Juan Jesus Guerrero Chapa was killed in broad daylight in Southlake, Texas.
Villarreal-Hernandez is a prominent member of the Beltran-Leyva Organization, a notorious drug cartel. He was charged in 2018 with interstate stalking and conspiracy in connection to Chapa’s assassination. This murder was particularly shocking because it marked the first killing in Southlake in over ten years.
Chapa was shot at least five times while sitting in a Range Rover with his wife beside him. He was previously associated with the Gulf Cartel and worked as an informant for the U.S. government. Authorities believe Villarreal-Hernandez was motivated to kill Chapa due to personal grievances, including a belief that Chapa had a role in his father’s death.
In addition to Villarreal-Hernandez, three other men were indicted in this case: Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Campano, Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Cepeda, and Jose Luis Cepeda-Cortes. Ledezma-Campano testified that Villarreal-Hernandez paid his father to track Chapa and spent a staggering $1 million on the operation. After the murder, the conspirators even celebrated with a party.
After an extensive search, Villarreal-Hernandez was placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in October 2020, with a reward of up to $1 million offered for information on his whereabouts. He was arrested in January 2023 and has now been extradited to face the charges against him in Texas.
Villarreal-Hernandez’s upcoming court appearance will mark a significant moment for justice, particularly for the community still affected by Chapa’s violent death. Authorities have indicated that he could face severe penalties, including the death penalty.
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Source linkDrug Cartels, Cartel, North Texas
