Authorities say the "force" was not with a 34-year-old Mexican national recently captured in Contra Costa County and turned over Tuesday to Mexican law enforcement.
Pablo Christian Larumbe Rojas was wanted in connection to the kidnapping and murder of a man who attempted to use his Star Wars action figures to pay off a debt to the suspect, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.
“The so-called ‘force’ was definitely not with Mr. Larumbe during his capture and subsequent removal to Mexico,” said Timothy Aitken, ICE field office director in San Francisco. “This fugitive’s arrest and repatriation are the direct result of the ongoing cooperation between U.S. law enforcement and our Mexican counterparts. Violent criminals who believe they can evade justice by fleeing to the U.S. should be on notice they will find no refuge here.”
Larumbe was arrested earlier this year in Antioch in connection with the disappearance of Carlos Palomares Maldonado in the Mexico City area in 2010.
ICE officials said the victim apparently owed Larumbe and his associates about $3,000 and offered to settle the debt by handing over his extensive collection of Star Wars memorabilia.
However, after Palomares went to Larumbe's home on Sept. 22, 2010, he was never seen or heard from again, according to ICE.
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Larumbe came to the U.S. in 2011 on a visitor visa allowing him to remain in the country for six months.
Following his February arrest in Antioch, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations placed Larumbe in removal proceedings.
On June 4, an immigration judge ordered Larumbe to be deported, ICE officials said.
Bay City News Service contributed to this report.
