A 17-year-old who murdered his coworker over a $1,000 debt lived freely in Mexico for nearly a decade before the FBI finally tracked him down, proving that even the most patient criminals can’t outrun justice forever.
Story Highlights
- Alejandro Rosales Castillo murdered 23-year-old Sandy Le in 2016 after she loaned him $1,000
- Castillo fled to Mexico and evaded capture for 9 years while on FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list
- FBI arrested him in Mexico on January 16, 2026, ending one of their longest active manhunts
- Le’s family finally gets closure after nearly a decade of waiting for justice
The Debt That Turned Deadly
Sandy Le made a fatal mistake trusting the wrong person. The 23-year-old Charlotte woman had loaned coworker Alejandro Rosales Castillo $1,000, a gesture of goodwill that would cost her everything. On August 9, 2016, Castillo texted Le about repaying the debt and arranged to meet her at a QuikTrip gas station. Instead of returning her money, he forced her to withdraw another $1,000 from an ATM, then shot her once in the head in a wooded area in Cabarrus County.
The brutal simplicity of the crime shocked investigators. Here was a teenager willing to commit murder over what amounted to pocket change for most adults. Castillo’s youth made the calculated nature of his actions even more disturbing. At just 17 years old, he displayed a level of callousness typically associated with hardened criminals decades his senior.
A Nine-Year Game of Hide and Seek
Castillo’s escape plan revealed surprising sophistication for someone barely out of high school. He and accomplice Ahmia Feaster drove Le’s abandoned vehicle to Phoenix, Arizona, then crossed into Mexico at Nogales. Surveillance footage captured Castillo’s border crossing, providing the last confirmed sighting of him for nearly a decade. While Feaster eventually surrendered to authorities in Mexico and was extradited back to the United States, Castillo vanished into the shadows.
The FBI added Castillo to their Ten Most Wanted list in October 2017, making him the 516th fugitive to receive this dubious honor. For over eight years, his face stared back from wanted posters while he lived what FBI officials described as “a normal life” somewhere in Mexico. The agency offered a $250,000 reward for information leading to his capture, demonstrating their commitment to bringing him to justice regardless of time or cost.
Justice Delayed But Not Denied
FBI Director Kash Patel announced Castillo’s arrest on Saturday, following his capture in Mexico on January 16, 2026. The arrest represents a vindication of the FBI’s patient approach to cold cases and international fugitive operations. Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. emphasized that Castillo likely believed he would never face consequences for his actions, living freely while Le’s family endured years of uncertainty and grief.
U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson’s statement following the arrest carried a clear message for other fugitives: geographic distance and time provide no permanent sanctuary from American justice. The successful conclusion of this manhunt demonstrates the FBI’s willingness to pursue violent criminals across international borders for as long as necessary. For Le’s family, the arrest brings long-awaited closure and the promise that their daughter’s killer will finally face trial for his crimes.
Sources:
FBI captures Top Ten Most Wanted fugitive in Mexico sought over 2016 murder of NC co-worker – KTVU
FBI captures Top Ten Most Wanted fugitive in Mexico sought 2016 murder NC coworker – Fox News
Alejandro Castillo (criminal) – Wikipedia
