A Texas gang member wanted for murder was captured in Mexico after authorities received an anonymous tip, with Crime Stoppers now paying out a reward for the information.
Elijah Turner Reyes, 25, a documented Piru Bloods member from El Paso, was detained on February 19 at a Tijuana apartment and deported to the United States two days later.
The arrest highlights the effectiveness of cross-border law enforcement cooperation and the Texas 10 Most Wanted program, which offers cash rewards for tips leading to fugitive captures. The program arrested 65 wanted individuals in 2025, paying $41,000 in rewards.
Reyes had been on the run since May 2025, when El Paso police issued a murder warrant. Additional warrants followed in June for failing to appear on charges including burglary, drug possession, and assaulting a pregnant woman.
The fugitive had a violent criminal history. In 2019, he was convicted of aggravated robbery and served five years before his release in January 2024.
U.S. Marshals’ Lone Star Fugitive Task Force coordinated the capture with Texas Department of Public Safety agents and El Paso police. Mexican authorities assisted in detaining Reyes at his Tijuana hideout.
Texas Crime Stoppers accepts tips through three anonymous channels: calling 1-800-252-TIPS, submitting information through the DPS website, or using Facebook. Tipsters receive tracking numbers instead of providing names.
The Governor’s Public Safety Office funds the rewards program. DPS investigators work with local agencies to select the state’s most dangerous fugitives for the list.
Authorities warn the public not to approach listed fugitives, as they are considered armed and dangerous.
