FBI Returns Accused Murderer to Sacramento for Prosecution
July 7, 2026 - The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Sacramento Field Office announces the capture and extradition of Jose Guadalupe Lopez Nunez, a Mexican national who is wanted for murder in Sacramento County. Lopez Nunez was apprehended near Mezquital del Oro, Zacatecas, Mexico, on Aug. 31, 2025, following a tip from the public. He was extradited to Sacramento by FBI agents on July 2, 2026, and made his first appearance in Sacramento Superior Court on July 7, 2026.
“We hope today’s arrest offers some relief to the family of Emelina Quintero-Ramos after many years of waiting for prosecution,” said FBI Sacramento Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Tosh. “The FBI proudly partners with domestic and international partners across the globe to ensure fugitives have nowhere to hide. The public is a powerful force multiplier; tips help locate fugitives, recover missing children, and solve crimes every day. When we work together, justice is possible.”
On September 4, 2017, an angler discovered the body of the deceased female, later identified as Emelina Quintero-Ramos, in the Sacramento River near Isleton. Following an investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, a felony warrant for Lopez Nunez’s arrest was issued on October 16, 2017, alleging that Lopez Nunez’s killed Emelina Quintero-Ramos, who was his girlfriend, and disposed of her body in the Sacramento River to conceal the crime.
On October 24, 2017, a federal arrest warrant was issued in the United States District Court, Eastern District of California, for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. The FBI subsequently issued a wanted poster and launched an international campaign to locate Lopez Nunez.
Charges are mere allegations of criminal misconduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
The FBI Sacramento Field Office worked closely with U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, Sacramento County Sherriff’s Department, FBI Law Enforcement Attache Office in Mexico City, and the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Mexico to secure Lopez Nunez’s apprehension and return for prosecution.
Lopez Nunez’s return is funded by the United States Government’s “Project Welcome Home,” which provides funding to assist in the return of state and local fugitives to the United States.
The FBI continues to collaborate with its domestic and international law enforcement partners to apprehend criminals charged with state crimes who flee the jurisdiction. Cases seeking information from the public, including fugitive matters, are posted on the FBI Sacramento Field Office’s Most Wanted web page and FBI Most Wanted application.
Anyone with information that may aid these cases may contact their local FBI office, United States embassy, or submit information online at tips.fbi.gov. The FBI does not confirm the identity of individuals who provide information to the FBI and tips from the public remain a valuable tool for preventing, detecting, and deterring crime.
FBI Sacramento
FBI Sacramento Press Office
(916) 746-8106
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
