PASCO, Wash. — A couple from eastern Washington who was on the U.S. Marshals Most Wanted list was arrested in Mexico.
Edgar Salvador Casian-Garcia, 34, and his girlfriend, Araceli Medina, 38 are charged with aggravated murder, four counts of child rape and child assault.
This was the first case involving a couple being placed on the agency’s Top 15 Most Wanted fugitives list, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
The case started two years ago when investigators say two young girls were found abandoned in Tijuana, Mexico. One girl told police that she had been tortured and raped at her family's home in Washington.
Pasco police started investigating and discovered that the girls' 7-year-old brother was missing. During the arrest, Mexican officials also recovered five of the couple’s children who had been listed as missing and endangered since May of 2021. They were found safe.
In 2022, hikers discovered the missing boy's remains near the Tri-Cities. He was believed to have been tortured to death.
U.S. Marshals had help from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in this case.
“We are so thankful that all five missing children have been rescued safely,” said John Bischoff with the Missing Children Division at NCMEC. “The crimes that Araceli Medina and Edgar Casian-Garcia are charged with are heinous and we commend the unwavering dedication of law enforcement. This successful rescue is a testament to the critical importance of collaboration and community involvement in safeguarding our most vulnerable population.”
The couple is now in custody in Mexico and will be extradited to Washington.
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