Las Cruces, NM – On December 28, 2011, Deputy U.S. Marshals and the Las Cruces Police Officers apprehended murder suspects Armando and Mando Lopez. The twin brothers are Norteno gang members wanted out of Los Banos, California for a double homicide that occurred at a night club in Los Banos on August 7.
Both Armando and Mando Lopez have lengthy criminal histories including numerous weapons charges, possession of controlled substances and charges relating to their involvement in a criminal street gang. The brothers are among other suspects that are accused of murdering two Mongol outlaw motorcycle gang members in Los Banos, California. Investigators with the Marshals Service worked closely with the Las Cruces Police Department and were able to determine the brothers were living at a residence in Las Cruces and it is believed the pair have been in the Las Cruces area since November. Both were apprehended separately without incident on Wednesday evening by the Las Cruces Police Department SWAT unit and the United States Marshals Service. The brothers will be booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center awaiting extradition back to California.
Conrad E. Candelaria, United States Marshal for the District of New Mexico “the Marshals Service is built upon a foundation of generations of Deputy U.S. Marshals that relentlessly pursue and investigate the whereabouts of hardened criminal fugitives and it is this ‘relentless’ pursuit that allows justice to prevail and in this apprehension, these violent and career criminals will answer to the crimes they have committed.”
