Accused Garfield killer caught in Texas after two years on the run
GARFIELD, NJ — A murder suspect who spent more than two years on the run and landed on the FBI’s Most Wanted list has been captured in Texas in connection with a deadly stabbing in Bergen County, prosecutors announced.
Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said Ricky “Angel” Vargas was arrested in Longview, Texas, following what officials described as an extensive multi-agency manhunt tied to the February 2024 killing of Richard Franceschi in Garfield.
Authorities said Vargas had been a fugitive since the fatal stabbing.
Detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit worked alongside the FBI and Texas law enforcement agencies to track Vargas to a residence in Longview.
He was taken into custody without incident and is currently awaiting extradition back to New Jersey.
Vargas is expected to face charges including first-degree murder and weapons offenses in Bergen County.
Prosecutor Musella credited investigators from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Garfield Police Department, the FBI and law enforcement partners in Texas for helping bring the fugitive into custody.
Officials have not yet announced when Vargas will return to New Jersey for court proceedings.
The charges against Vargas are accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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Key Points
• Fugitive wanted in 2024 Garfield murder captured in Texas
• Suspect Ricky Vargas was previously added to FBI Most Wanted list
• Authorities say Vargas will be extradited back to New Jersey