Topline: Authorities say the suspect was arrested in Mexico just 73 minutes after the FBI added him to its Ten Most Wanted list, which makes it the fastest capture in the program’s history.
Published: March 13, 2026 8:00 pm ET
Must Read
Samuel Ramirez, Jr. (via FBI Most Wanted)
FEDERAL WAY, WA — A Washington state man accused of killing two women outside a bar was captured in Mexico just one hour and 13 minutes after being added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, marking the fastest apprehension in the history of the program.
Samuel Ramirez Jr., 33, of Federal Way, Washington, was taken into custody without incident at 11:13 a.m. PT on March 10 in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release. Authorities announced Ramirez as the 538th fugitive added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list earlier that same morning.
The arrest shattered the previous record for the quickest capture after being placed on the list. According to the Justice Department, fugitive Billie Austin Bryant had held the record since 1969, when he was arrested two hours after being added.
“Unlike the prior Administration, this Department of Justice is arresting the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted criminals as quickly as they are added to the list,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement released by the Justice Department. “President Trump has unleashed American law enforcement against the worst criminals in our country — Director Patel is doing great work to Make America Safe Again.”
Ramirez was later deported to the United States and returned to Washington state Wednesday night to face murder charges in King County Superior Court, according to the Justice Department.
Authorities allege Ramirez was responsible for a May 21, 2023 shooting at Stars Bar & Grill in Federal Way that left two employees dead and another person wounded.
According to prior reporting by KOMO News, officers responded to the bar around 3:30 a.m. after reports of gunfire in the parking lot. When police arrived, they found three victims. Employees Katie Duhnke and Jessyca Hohn were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third person who was shot managed to run away and survive.
“One victim female was killed instantly, she was shot in the head,” Federal Way Police Chief Andy Hwang said during a news conference at the time, according to KOMO. “The second victim was shot multiple times, and he stood over her and shot her in the head.”
Investigators said the violence allegedly began as an argument inside the bar that escalated quickly. A police spokesperson told KOMO that the victims and Ramirez were arguing about his conduct at the establishment before he allegedly pulled out a gun.
Ramirez then fled the area after the shooting and eventually left the country, authorities said.
According to KOMO, investigators believe Ramirez first traveled to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, before his parents allegedly drove him across the border into Tijuana, Mexico, on May 23, 2023.
“There is potential criminal culpability for somebody who does something like that, who attempts to hide or have somebody evade justice,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Mike Herrington said at the time, according to KOMO. “He cannot hide forever, and I’m confident he’ll return to King County to face justice.”
Ramirez was initially charged in King County Superior Court on May 24, 2023, with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and attempted first-degree murder, according to the Justice Department. Federal prosecutors later filed a separate charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington on Nov. 14, 2025.
Officials say adding Ramirez to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list helped generate immediate leads that led to his arrest.
“Samuel Ramirez Jr.’s apprehension is a direct result of the FBI’s relentless pursuit of justice for victims and their families,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in the Justice Department release. “His senseless acts of violence placed him on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List, and it is that same commitment to the victims that brought him to justice today. There is no border, no amount of time, and no place to hide from the full force of the FBI and its partners.”
Federal Way Police Chief Andy Hwang also credited coordination between multiple law enforcement agencies.
“We are deeply grateful for the FBI’s partnership and the swift coordination among local, federal, and international law enforcement that led to Samuel Ramirez Jr.’s capture so quickly,” Hwang said in the Justice Department release. “This arrest is an important step toward justice for the victims, Jessyca Hohn and Katie Duhnke, and toward bringing some measure of closure to their families and our community.”
The FBI had previously offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to Ramirez’s arrest, according to the Justice Department. On March 10, authorities increased the reward to up to $1 million, making Ramirez the first newly added fugitive to receive the FBI’s new standard reward amount.
According to the Justice Department, the arrest was coordinated with assistance from Mexican authorities, including Mexico’s Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana, Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional, and Instituto Nacional de Migración.
Ramirez’s next court appearance will be an arraignment in King County Superior Court, which is expected about two weeks after he is booked into jail, officials said.
Charging documents contain only allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law, authorities noted.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Man Accused of Killing Two Women Captured in Mexico a Little More Than an Hour After FBI Most Wanted Listing
Authorities say the suspect was arrested in Mexico just 73 minutes after the FBI added him to its Ten Most Wanted list, which makes it the fastest capture in the program’s history.
By Jacob Charles
Published: March 13, 2026 8:00 pm ET
Samuel Ramirez, Jr. (via FBI Most Wanted)
FEDERAL WAY, WA — A Washington state man accused of killing two women outside a bar was captured in Mexico just one hour and 13 minutes after being added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, marking the fastest apprehension in the history of the program.
Samuel Ramirez Jr., 33, of Federal Way, Washington, was taken into custody without incident at 11:13 a.m. PT on March 10 in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release. Authorities announced Ramirez as the 538th fugitive added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list earlier that same morning.
The arrest shattered the previous record for the quickest capture after being placed on the list. According to the Justice Department, fugitive Billie Austin Bryant had held the record since 1969, when he was arrested two hours after being added.
“Unlike the prior Administration, this Department of Justice is arresting the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted criminals as quickly as they are added to the list,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement released by the Justice Department. “President Trump has unleashed American law enforcement against the worst criminals in our country — Director Patel is doing great work to Make America Safe Again.”
Ramirez was later deported to the United States and returned to Washington state Wednesday night to face murder charges in King County Superior Court, according to the Justice Department.
Authorities allege Ramirez was responsible for a May 21, 2023 shooting at Stars Bar & Grill in Federal Way that left two employees dead and another person wounded.
According to prior reporting by KOMO News, officers responded to the bar around 3:30 a.m. after reports of gunfire in the parking lot. When police arrived, they found three victims. Employees Katie Duhnke and Jessyca Hohn were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third person who was shot managed to run away and survive.
“One victim female was killed instantly, she was shot in the head,” Federal Way Police Chief Andy Hwang said during a news conference at the time, according to KOMO. “The second victim was shot multiple times, and he stood over her and shot her in the head.”
Investigators said the violence allegedly began as an argument inside the bar that escalated quickly. A police spokesperson told KOMO that the victims and Ramirez were arguing about his conduct at the establishment before he allegedly pulled out a gun.
Ramirez then fled the area after the shooting and eventually left the country, authorities said.
According to KOMO, investigators believe Ramirez first traveled to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, before his parents allegedly drove him across the border into Tijuana, Mexico, on May 23, 2023.
“There is potential criminal culpability for somebody who does something like that, who attempts to hide or have somebody evade justice,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Mike Herrington said at the time, according to KOMO. “He cannot hide forever, and I’m confident he’ll return to King County to face justice.”
Ramirez was initially charged in King County Superior Court on May 24, 2023, with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and attempted first-degree murder, according to the Justice Department. Federal prosecutors later filed a separate charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington on Nov. 14, 2025.
Officials say adding Ramirez to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list helped generate immediate leads that led to his arrest.
“Samuel Ramirez Jr.’s apprehension is a direct result of the FBI’s relentless pursuit of justice for victims and their families,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in the Justice Department release. “His senseless acts of violence placed him on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List, and it is that same commitment to the victims that brought him to justice today. There is no border, no amount of time, and no place to hide from the full force of the FBI and its partners.”
Federal Way Police Chief Andy Hwang also credited coordination between multiple law enforcement agencies.
“We are deeply grateful for the FBI’s partnership and the swift coordination among local, federal, and international law enforcement that led to Samuel Ramirez Jr.’s capture so quickly,” Hwang said in the Justice Department release. “This arrest is an important step toward justice for the victims, Jessyca Hohn and Katie Duhnke, and toward bringing some measure of closure to their families and our community.”
The FBI had previously offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to Ramirez’s arrest, according to the Justice Department. On March 10, authorities increased the reward to up to $1 million, making Ramirez the first newly added fugitive to receive the FBI’s new standard reward amount.
According to the Justice Department, the arrest was coordinated with assistance from Mexican authorities, including Mexico’s Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana, Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional, and Instituto Nacional de Migración.
Ramirez’s next court appearance will be an arraignment in King County Superior Court, which is expected about two weeks after he is booked into jail, officials said.
Charging documents contain only allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law, authorities noted.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Man Accused of Killing Two Women Captured in Mexico a Little More Than an Hour After FBI Most Wanted Listing
Authorities say the suspect was arrested in Mexico just 73 minutes after the FBI added him to its Ten Most Wanted list, which makes it the fastest capture in the program’s history.
By Jacob Charles
Published: March 13, 2026 8:00 pm ET
Samuel Ramirez, Jr. (via FBI Most Wanted)
FEDERAL WAY, WA — A Washington state man accused of killing two women outside a bar was captured in Mexico just one hour and 13 minutes after being added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, marking the fastest apprehension in the history of the program.
Samuel Ramirez Jr., 33, of Federal Way, Washington, was taken into custody without incident at 11:13 a.m. PT on March 10 in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release. Authorities announced Ramirez as the 538th fugitive added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list earlier that same morning.
The arrest shattered the previous record for the quickest capture after being placed on the list. According to the Justice Department, fugitive Billie Austin Bryant had held the record since 1969, when he was arrested two hours after being added.
“Unlike the prior Administration, this Department of Justice is arresting the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted criminals as quickly as they are added to the list,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement released by the Justice Department. “President Trump has unleashed American law enforcement against the worst criminals in our country — Director Patel is doing great work to Make America Safe Again.”
Ramirez was later deported to the United States and returned to Washington state Wednesday night to face murder charges in King County Superior Court, according to the Justice Department.
Authorities allege Ramirez was responsible for a May 21, 2023 shooting at Stars Bar & Grill in Federal Way that left two employees dead and another person wounded.
According to prior reporting by KOMO News, officers responded to the bar around 3:30 a.m. after reports of gunfire in the parking lot. When police arrived, they found three victims. Employees Katie Duhnke and Jessyca Hohn were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third person who was shot managed to run away and survive.
“One victim female was killed instantly, she was shot in the head,” Federal Way Police Chief Andy Hwang said during a news conference at the time, according to KOMO. “The second victim was shot multiple times, and he stood over her and shot her in the head.”
Investigators said the violence allegedly began as an argument inside the bar that escalated quickly. A police spokesperson told KOMO that the victims and Ramirez were arguing about his conduct at the establishment before he allegedly pulled out a gun.
Ramirez then fled the area after the shooting and eventually left the country, authorities said.
According to KOMO, investigators believe Ramirez first traveled to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, before his parents allegedly drove him across the border into Tijuana, Mexico, on May 23, 2023.
“There is potential criminal culpability for somebody who does something like that, who attempts to hide or have somebody evade justice,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Mike Herrington said at the time, according to KOMO. “He cannot hide forever, and I’m confident he’ll return to King County to face justice.”
Ramirez was initially charged in King County Superior Court on May 24, 2023, with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and attempted first-degree murder, according to the Justice Department. Federal prosecutors later filed a separate charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington on Nov. 14, 2025.
Officials say adding Ramirez to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list helped generate immediate leads that led to his arrest.
“Samuel Ramirez Jr.’s apprehension is a direct result of the FBI’s relentless pursuit of justice for victims and their families,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in the Justice Department release. “His senseless acts of violence placed him on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List, and it is that same commitment to the victims that brought him to justice today. There is no border, no amount of time, and no place to hide from the full force of the FBI and its partners.”
Federal Way Police Chief Andy Hwang also credited coordination between multiple law enforcement agencies.
“We are deeply grateful for the FBI’s partnership and the swift coordination among local, federal, and international law enforcement that led to Samuel Ramirez Jr.’s capture so quickly,” Hwang said in the Justice Department release. “This arrest is an important step toward justice for the victims, Jessyca Hohn and Katie Duhnke, and toward bringing some measure of closure to their families and our community.”
The FBI had previously offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to Ramirez’s arrest, according to the Justice Department. On March 10, authorities increased the reward to up to $1 million, making Ramirez the first newly added fugitive to receive the FBI’s new standard reward amount.
According to the Justice Department, the arrest was coordinated with assistance from Mexican authorities, including Mexico’s Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana, Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional, and Instituto Nacional de Migración.
Ramirez’s next court appearance will be an arraignment in King County Superior Court, which is expected about two weeks after he is booked into jail, officials said.
Charging documents contain only allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law, authorities noted.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
