Lone Star Fugitive Task Force Apprehend Fugitive who Fled to Mexico After 2019 San Antonio Homicide

San Antonio, TX - The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS)-led Lone Star Fugitive Task Force (LSFTF) in San Antonio, with the assistance of the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force (GCVOTF) in Laredo, has apprehended a San Antonio man wanted in connection with the 2019 murder of an elderly man. 

Joe Michael Rubio, 24, was apprehended March 14 with the assistance of Mexican authorities from La Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana (SSPC) in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. His capture resulted from a multiagency effort that developed numerous leads.

Rubio was detained, officially deported from Mexico, and placed into the custody of the U.S. Marshals GCVOTF in Laredo where he is currently awaiting extradition back to Bexar County. 

On July 26, 2019, 77-year-old Jose Rodriguez was fatally shot outside a gas station on Fair Avenue in San Antonio’s South Side. After purchasing lottery tickets, he was confronted by two suspects in what police believe was an attempted robbery. During the altercation, Rodriguez sustained three gunshot wounds, including one to the face, and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Rubio was subsequently charged with aggravated robbery and homicide. Members of the LSFTF followed multiple leads and gathered information suggesting that Rubio fled to Mexico upon learning of his active arrest warrant.

In 2023, the LSFTF officially elevated the case involving Rubio to USMS Major Case status.

“Through strong international partnerships, the U.S. Marshals Service collaborates with law enforcement agencies in Mexico and beyond to facilitate the apprehension of fugitives and uphold justice,” said Susan Pamerleau, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Texas. “These cooperative efforts play a vital role in enhancing public safety and ensuring that fugitives are held accountable.”

The LSFTF thanks the Mexican authorities from La Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana for their critical assistance.

The USMS Major Case Fugitive Program prioritizes the investigation and apprehension of high-profile offenders considered to be some of the country's most dangerous individuals. These offenders tend to be career criminals with histories of violence or who pose a significant threat to public safety.

Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force - San Antonio:

Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO)
Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS)
Texas Attorney General’s Office (TXAGO)
Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS)
New Braunfels Police Department (NBPD)
Texas Board of Criminal Justice OIG (TBCJ)
Bexar County District Attorney’s Office (BCDA)
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) U.S. Marshal Service (USMS)

Source: U.S. Marshals Service, usmarshals.gov