WASHINGTON — Attorney General Pamela Bondi and Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove spoke with Judge Enrique Camarena, the son of slain DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, following the capture of Rafael Caro Quintero, one of the key figures accused in the 1985 murder.
Quintero was among 29 fugitives taken into U.S. custody Thursday and will now face prosecution under U.S. law. His arrest marks a significant development in a case that has spanned four decades.
“President Trump and I are committed to holding every member of the cartels accountable for their crimes and to bring justice to the family of each and every victim,” Bondi said. “It was truly an honor to speak with Judge Camarena to express my sincere condolences for the loss of his father and assure him that we will be relentless in our pursuit of justice in this case.”
In a statement, the Camarena family described the arrest as a long-awaited moment.
“For 14,631 days, we held on to hope — hope that this moment would come,” the family said. “While no amount of time can erase the pain or bring back what we lost, today marks a step toward justice.”
The family also thanked the DEA, law enforcement agencies, and officials who worked on the case over the years, along with President Trump for his administration’s efforts in securing the high-profile arrest.
Camarena, a DEA agent working undercover in Mexico, was abducted, tortured, and murdered in February 1985, sparking a decades-long manhunt for those responsible.
