AUSTIN, Texas - A Texas Top 10 Most Wanted fugitive and documented Piru gang member was detained by Mexican law enforcement on Feb. 19, 2026, in Tijuana, Mexico, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Capture of Texas Top 10 Most Wanted fugitive
What we know:
On Feb. 21, 2026, 25-year-old Elijah Turner Reyes was deported to the U.S. where he was turned over to U.S. law enforcement authorities.
Elijah Turner Reyes
El Paso murder warrants
Reyes had been wanted by the El Paso police since May 22, 2025, for murder.
Additionally, on June 16, 2025, warrants were issued out of El Paso County for his arrest for failing to appear in court for prior charges related to burglary of habitation, possession of a controlled substance and assaulting a pregnant woman.
In 2019, Reyes was convicted of aggravated robbery and sentenced to five years of confinement. He was discharged from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) in Jan 2024.
Texas Crime Stoppers tip
What they're saying:
Members of the U.S. Marshals Lone Star fugitive task force in El Paso, including DPS special agents, led the investigation. The El Paso Police Department also assisted in this investigation.
Reyes’ capture was the result of tipping information received through Texas Crime Stoppers.
Texas Crime Stoppers was previously offering a reward of up to $7,500 for Reyes, so a reward will be paid for the anonymous tipster.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the Texas DPS.