Post by HeadMarshal on Apr 17, 2014 7:39:53 GMT -5
Claudio Duran Lopez and Miguel Lopez Franco are wanted in connection with a 2006 triple homicide.
This case began when immigrant smugglers Julian Reyes Godinez, Miguel Vasquez Munoz and Alejandro Figueroa Munoz, planned on stealing customers of a rival immigrant smuggler group. The leader of the rival group, Claudio Duran Lopez, learned about the plot when Reyes Godinez approached the driver of Duran Lopez's group, Luis Beltran Gonzalez. Duran Lopez planned on carrying out an ambush along with his group members, Miguel Lopez Franco, Nery Blas Ortiz, and Beltran Gonzalez. On Feb 26, 2006, the two groups got into a vehicle chase in Yavapai County, Arizona which led to the ambush and shooting of Reyes Godinez, Vasquez Munoz and Figueroa Munoz, killing all three of them. The bodies were found the following day.
In August 2007, Beltran Gonzalez was arrested followed by Blas Ortiz in December of that year, Ortiz was arrested in Phoenix. Beltran Gonzalez pled guilty to consecutive sentences of 2nd Degree Murder and according to the Arizona Department Of Corrections, he got 48 years. Blas Ortiz was sentenced to life imprisonment. However Duran Lopez and Lopez Franco still remain at large.
Thoughts? Although the victims were all involved in illegal activities, they didn't deserve to be the victims of a triple homicide. There's nothing online that mentions where the two fugitives may have fled to, however Mexico is always a likely possibility. They're probably still involved in immigrant smuggling and therefore may be traveling back and forth between the US and Mexico.
yavapaisw.com/most-wanted-list/page/2/?term1=yavapai-county&name1=Yavapai+County+Sheriff%5C%27s+Office
www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1217gl-nwvtriple1217-ON.html?&wired
www.kvoa.com/news/arizona-murder-trial-to-highlight-smuggling-tactic/
UPDATE from site admin: I have not been able to find any new online articles about this case in the four years since HeadMarshal's first posting. As far as I can tell, Lopez and Franco are still at large as of this update (7/28/2018), since I haven't found anything online suggesting otherwise. However, if anyone has any updates/proof-of-updates one way or the other, they are always more than welcome to let us know.
Admin Note #1: According to the Yapavi Silent Witness website, anyone with information on Claudio Lopez and/or Miguel Franco's whereabouts should call them at 1-800-932-3232
Admin Note #2: If you have any news-related updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form
