Oregon Double Murder Suspect Arrested in Mexico

This arrest potentially clears the only open City of Independence homicide case in 22 years.

(INDEPENDENCE, Ore.) - Police in Independence have experienced a significant victory in a Double Homicide investigation dating back to 1995, thanks to the help of a retired sheriff and police in Mexico.

Chief Vernon Wells with Independence Police, says the recent arrest of 38-year old Antonio Carrillo-Vera, brings to a close the only unresolved homicide in the City of Independence since 1986.

Police were especially disturbed by the events that took place on December 23rd, 1995; events that led to the deaths of a father and his young child.

Wells says that night, Antonio Carrillo-Vera laid in wait outside his cousin's apartment.

"When his cousin, Froylan Orozco Carrillo, left his apartment in route to a wedding Antonio Carrillo-Vera flagged him over. Antonio then shot Froylan twice at point blank range through the vehicle's open window," Wells said.

Froylan Carrillo was struck twice in the head by the 9mm bullets and was killed immediately. More than doubling the tragedy, his two year old daughter, Lelianna Carrillo, who was seated beside him, was hit by a bullet that passed through her father. Two days later, on Christmas day in 1995, the girl died from the gunshot wound.

Wells says that after the shooting, Antonio Carrillo-Vera hid his weapon at his brother's residence in Salem and with the help of his brother and another cousin, fled to Mexico. Wells points to the fact that Antonio Carrillo-Vera is a Mexican citizen.

He explained that the victim, Froylan Carrillo, was a legal alien and his daughter, Lelianna Carrillo, was an American citizen.

"Our investigation revealed that our suspect told people that he had killed Froylan Carrillo because of things that had happened in the past," Wells said.

A grand jury in Polk County indicted Antonio Carrillo-Vera on January 17th 1996, for two counts of Aggravated Murder.

Rick Igou, Independence Police

Some time later, a federal arrest warrant was added for Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution.

"Our warrants were only serviceable in the United States and Mexico objects to extradition of criminals back to the United States on crimes that may have a death penalty."

Igou says that by March of 1997, it seemed clear that the Murder suspect had no intention of returning to this country.

"We then completed the expensive and time consuming process to have all of our reports translated into Spanish and we filed for an Article IV in Mexico." Igou says an Article IV provides the Mexican authorities the information they need to arrest and prosecute a person residing in their country for a crime committed in another country.

"Once the Article IV was filed we renewed our efforts, with the help of the FBI, to locate the suspect inside Mexico, but his whereabouts were unknown."

Independence Police have reopened the case several times since 1997 as a cold case investigation, always in an attempt to locate the suspect.

Former Marion County Sheriff
Raul Ramirez worked on the case.

"We were informed by relatives of the deceased that our suspect was in custody in Zacatecas Mexico. Our office immediately began trying to confirm that information."

He says Marion County's former Sheriff Raul Ramirez, currently of the Oregon State Sheriff's Association, the California Department of Justice, and the FBI were all instrumental in helping move through the process of working with the Article IV.

Wells says that two days ago, Independence Police received fingerprint confirmation on the identity of the suspect.

"In addition, both the jail authorities and family members of the suspect have confirmed that the person in custody in Mexico is Antonio Carrillo-Vera, our suspect," Wells added.

He says the process from here is for the Mexican authorities to prosecute Antonio Carrillo-Vera in Mexico on charges as outlined in the Article IV. Wells says that if Vera is convicted, he will serve his sentence in a Mexican prison.

The victim's wife is still in Polk County, Oregon, but she has relocated to the Dallas, Oregon area. The victim's brother and other family members reportedly still live in the Independence area.

Wells says they want to thank all the police agencies of Polk County for their assistance in the initial investigation of this case, and the many FBI agents who have assisted over the years in their search for the suspect.

He says they are also grateful for the Mexican police who continued to look for the suspect and who made the arrest.