Virginia authorities have announced the arrest of a man who has been on the run for several years after being accused of fatally stabbing his estranged wife three decades ago.
According to the Fairfax County Police Department, Jose Cruz was sought after for the homicide of Ana Jurado, 24, on April 30, 1991. During the incident, Cruz and Jurado were married but were in the midst of finalizing their divorce.
According to authorities, Jurado had three children at the time of her passing. “This is not your typical cold case,” Police Chief Kevin Davis explained to reporters. “It was practically solved immediately. He was on the run, avoiding responsibility for a crime he committed almost 33 years ago.”
Cruz, who was wanted for first-degree murder, had an arrest warrant issued against him. He managed to escape to El Salvador, where he resided for a period of thirty years. Recently, in 2022, Cruz was apprehended while on a journey from Nicaragua to Costa Rica. Following his capture, he was extradited to the United States last week.
A mugshot of Jose Cruz taken 33 years apart, before and after his estranged wife was murdered in 1991, has been released. Cruz was extradited from El Salvador to the United States to face criminal charges in Virginia. The mugshot was provided by the Fairfax County Police Department.
In 1999, investigators made a trip to El Salvador in search of a lead on Cruz’s whereabouts, but they were unable to find any substantial information at that time.
Cruz made an unsuccessful attempt to enter Canada before fleeing to El Salvador. However, he was denied entry by Canadian border agents due to his use of fraudulent identification. The agents became suspicious when they noticed fresh cuts on his hand.
After traveling by bus to Houston, Cruz illegally crossed into Mexico and eventually made his way to El Salvador. During that time, El Salvador did not have an established extradition process, according to the authorities.
Cruz, according to investigators, held a job as a truck driver in El Salvador and went on to remarry and have multiple children.
According to Fairfax County police Lt. Col. Eli Cory, it is believed that he was caught while crossing the Nicaragua-Costa Rica border to visit his family members. Lt. Col. Cory speculates that after thirty years, he may have become a bit too comfortable and let his guard down.
