Fugitive with INTERPOL Alert Wanted for Multiple Murders Captured After More Than 25 Years on the Run
Washington, DC / October 09, 2026 - The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), in coordination with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), on Thursday located and arrested an Albanian national wanted by Albanian authorities for multiple murders and the subject of an INTERPOL alert.
Valentin Ftoni is wanted by Albanian authorities to serve a 25-year sentence in connection with the 2000 murders of a husband and wife. Albanian authorities also seek Ftoni in connection with one additional murder and identify him as the primary suspect in a fourth. He had remained a fugitive for more than 25 years.
In August, acting on information provided by INTERPOL Tirana, the USMS initiated an investigation to locate Ftoni in the United States. Working in coordination with INTERPOL Tirana, the Diplomatic Security Service at U.S. Embassy Tirana, the Albanian State Police, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, investigators determined that Ftoni had been residing unlawfully in the United States under multiple aliases since the early 2000s and was believed to be in the New York metropolitan area.
The USMS subsequently referred an investigative lead to its representative assigned to the Homeland Security Task Force in New York, where investigators immediately initiated efforts to locate Ftoni. Through coordinated investigative efforts, law enforcement identified Ftoni’s location and arrested him.
Acting Director of INTERPOL Washington, Daniel Vizzi, praised the collaborative work. “This case demonstrates exactly why international law enforcement information sharing matters,” he said. “Information provided by our partners in Albania was rapidly operationalized in the United States and placed in the hands of investigators who could act on it. More than 25 years after this fugitive fled, cooperation between INTERPOL Washington, INTERPOL Tirana, and our law enforcement partners resulted in his capture.”
“This arrest is a testament to the persistence and professionalism of our investigators and law enforcement partners,” said Ricky J. Patel, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of New York. “When our team received information that a fugitive wanted for multiple murders may have been living in the New York area under assumed identities, our investigators acted quickly to locate and apprehend him. No matter how much time has passed or how far a fugitive travels, we remain committed to ensuring they are held accountable.”
Ftoni was taken into federal custody following his arrest. He will remain in custody pending further immigration proceedings.
The USMS extends its appreciation to all domestic and international law enforcement partners whose cooperation and investigative efforts contributed to the successful location and arrest of Ftoni, including INTERPOL Tirana, the Albanian State Police, the Diplomatic Security Service at U.S. Embassy Tirana, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the U.N. Mission in Kosovo, and the Kosovo Police.
INTERPOL Washington, the U.S. National Central Bureau, is a component of the USMS and serves as the official U.S. representative to INTERPOL.
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at https://www.usmarshals.gov.
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Source: U.S. Marshals Service (usmarshals.gov)
