Female murder suspect wanted by Interpol is nabbed in tiny Texas town

Katie Hawkinson

29 May 2024 at 5:37 pm·2-min read

Leo Acosta Sanchez, pictured, was arrested in a small Texas town after Interpol said she was a fugitive facing murder charges (Splendora Police Department)

A woman wanted by Interpol on murder charges was nabbed in a tiny, rural Texas town - though details about her crime and her hideout spot remain murky.

Leo Acosta Sanchez was taken into custody in Splendora, Texas, a town of less than 2,000 people in southeastern Texas, during a traffic stop on May 24.

The young woman, who police say was illegally residing in the country, was known to travel between Splendora and her home in Terrenos, a nearby neighborhood. That information helped lead police to an arrest, Lieutenant Troy Teller told The Independent.

After spotting her vehicle, Splendora officers called for backup. After additional officers arrived, Splendora police and the Department of Homeland Security arrested Ms Sanchez.

“Splendora Police commends the swift and effective collaboration with our Federal partners in ensuring the apprehension of this dangerous individual,” the Splendora Police Department said in a statement.

Lt Teller was unable to provide The Independent with specific details about the charges Ms Sanchez faces. However, Lieutenant Teller said she is wanted by Interpol on murder charges out of Mexico.

Leo Acosta Sanchez, pictured during her arrest, is wanted for murder in Mexico, a Lieutenant Teller told The Independent (Splendora Police Department)

The Independent has contacted Interpol for comment.

Interpol often sends red notices — that is, a request to law enforcement officials to find and arrest someone pending extradition — to local offices.

Just last week, Interpol issued a red notice for an author and her teen son after they allegedly fled to the US from Turkey after a fatal car crash in Istanbul.

Then, earlier this month, an Israeli private investigator was arrested in London after Interpol issued a red notice. Amit Forlit was wanted in the US for allegedly carrying out a cyberespionage campaign with an American PR firm.

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