Virginia Man Arrested in 1991 Killing of Estranged Wife after Fleeing to El Salvador

Virginia Authorities Arrest Suspect in 31-Year-Old Murder Case

Virginia authorities have announced the arrest of a man accused of murdering his estranged wife 31 years ago in Fairfax County. Jose Cruz, the suspect, has been on the run for decades after allegedly fatally stabbing Ana Jurado, 24, on April 30, 1991.

The couple was in the process of getting a divorce at the time of the killing, and Jurado was a mother of three. According to police, Jurado was found on the side of a road in Falls Church, Virginia, after a neighbor heard a scream and called 911. She had succumbed to "upper body trauma."

Decades on the Run

Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Cruz for first-degree murder, but he fled to El Salvador, where he lived for 31 years. Cruz was apprehended in 2022 while traveling from Nicaragua to Costa Rica and subsequently extradited to the United States.

Before his arrest in El Salvador, Cruz had attempted to cross into Canada using fraudulent identification, and when he was denied entry, he moved to Houston and then illegally crossed into Mexico, eventually settling in El Salvador. Authorities believe he was making a border crossing to visit family members when he was caught.

Life as a Fugitive

During his time in El Salvador, Cruz remarried and fathered several children, working as a truck driver. Despite the length of time he spent as a fugitive, authorities have pursued the case relentlessly, and Cruz will now face justice in the United States.