FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive Alejandro Rosales Castillo Returned to Charlotte
January 23, 2026 - FBI Director Kash Patel, FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr., and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) Chief Estella D. Patterson announce Ten Most Wanted Fugitive Alejandro “Alex” Rosales Castillo’s return to Charlotte. The FBI worked with the Government of Mexico to secure the transfer of Castillo to law enforcement custody in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Castillo was captured in Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico, on January 16, 2026. The FBI’s Law Enforcement Attache Office in Mexico City coordinated with Agencia de Investigación Criminal-INTERPOL (AIC-INTERPOL) Vetted Team and the Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana (SSPC) to take Castillo into custody.
Castillo was added to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list on October 24, 2017. Castillo is charged with murdering 23-year-old Truc Quan “Sandy” Ly Le. The Charlotte, North Carolina, woman’s body was found on August 17, 2016, in a wooded area in Cabarrus County. A state arrest warrant was issued in the District Court of North Carolina, for Mecklenburg County on November 2, 2016, charging Castillo with First-degree murder, First-degree kidnapping, Robbery with a dangerous weapon and Larceny of a motor vehicle. On February 10, 2017, a federal arrest warrant was issued in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, charging Castillo with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
“Alejandro Castillo is one of six Ten Most Wanted fugitives apprehended under this FBI in less than one year—a sign of what can be accomplished when law enforcement has the support and resources they need to execute the mission,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Castillo had been on the run in Mexico for nearly a decade, evading charges for the 2016 murder of 23-year-old Sandy Ly Le, but thanks to the leadership of President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, and outstanding work from our field agents and partners, he is now back in the States to face justice. Special thanks to our partners in Mexico—Ambassador Johnson, President Sheinbaum, Secretary Harfuch, and more—who were instrumental in helping make this quick transfer back to the U.S. possible. I hope today will begin to provide peace and comfort for Sandy’s family, knowing her alleged killer will finally face long-awaited accountability.”
“Today marks a critical step in seeking justice for Sandy and her loved ones,” said FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. “The FBI, working side by side with our law enforcement partners at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and our international partners, located, apprehended and brought Alex Castillo back to the United States to face justice. This arrest underscores the resolve of our investigators and the strength of our partnerships because time, distance and borders will not protect those who commit violent crimes. While Sandy’s family has endured an unimaginable loss, today marks a decisive step toward accountability. The FBI will continue to pursue justice relentlessly, no matter how long it takes or where the trail leads.”
“Today’s transfer of custody marks an important step toward justice. After years of relentless work from our CMPD detectives, alongside our federal and international partners, Alejandro Rosales Castillo is back in Charlotte to face the charges against him. Our thoughts remain with the family of Sandy Ly Le, and we hope this moment brings them some measure of resolution. No matter how far someone runs, we will never stop pursuing accountability,” said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Estella D. Patterson.
“We got him! This case goes to show that you cannot outrun justice by crossing borders—we will use the full power of the federal government and never give up to find criminals and bring them back to face justice,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson.
"We are pleased that the family of Sandy Le can rest knowing that this defendant is no longer at large. We appreciate the commitment of our federal partners at the FBI to secure his apprehension, and we are especially grateful for the critical efforts of the CMPD detectives whose relentless efforts brought us to this point. As for the DA's Office, this defendant's apprehension signifies a beginning, not an end, and we have every intention of seeing this case through to a just conclusion,” said Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer D. Merriweather III.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department appreciate the assistance of the Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte Field Office, the U.S. Secret Service, the Government of Mexico, the FBI Law Enforcement Attache Office in Mexico City, the FBI International Operations Division, the FBI Criminal Division, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina, and the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office.
The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list was established in March of 1950. Since then, 537 fugitives have been placed on the list, and 499 have been apprehended or located. Castillo was the 516th person to be placed on the list. Additional information concerning Castillo and the FBI’s list of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives can be found at https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten.
FBI Charlotte
Public Affairs Specialist Shelley Lynch
charlottemedia@fbi.gov
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
