When an angler cast a line into the Sacramento River near Isleton on September 4, 2017, they found far more than they bargained for—the body of Emelina Quintero-Ramos, whose murder would set off an international manhunt that wouldn’t close until this summer.
Jose Guadalupe Lopez Nunez, 49, had vanished after allegedly killing his girlfriend and disposing of her body in the river. Within weeks, law enforcement issued both a felony warrant and a federal arrest warrant after Lopez Nunez fled across the border to Mexico. The case went quiet for years—that frustrating limbo that families know too well—while the FBI circulated wanted posters and coordinated with international partners including Interpol.
The break came in late August 2025 when a tip placed Lopez Nunez near Mezquital del Oro in Zacatecas, Mexico. Agents moved quickly, capturing him and beginning extradition proceedings. On July 2, 2026, he arrived back in Sacramento and made his first court appearance this week. The murder charge carries no bail eligibility.
Brian Tosh, the FBI Sacramento acting special agent in charge, acknowledged what this moment means: after years of waiting, the family of Emelina Quintero-Ramos finally sees the person accused of her death facing prosecution. The case required coordination across federal and local agencies—the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office—a reminder that bringing someone home (in justice, if not in life) takes patience and partnership.
Lopez Nunez returns to court on July 23 at 8:30 a.m. For Emelina Quintero-Ramos’s family, the long wait for answers is finally moving forward.
About the Author
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
