Extradition of Dual Citizen to El Salvador for Murder Charges

A 27-year-old dual U.S.-Salvadoran citizen from California, Michael Alejandro Castillo Murga, has been extradited to El Salvador to face charges related to the murder of a woman in front of their young son. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed this development on Thursday.

Castillo Murga, who hails from Beaumont, California, was transferred to Salvadoran authorities on Wednesday. He is facing serious charges of aggravated femicide and imperfect homicide connected to the 2019 death of Melvi Fernanda Nájera Quezada, 23. This marks a significant step as it is reportedly the first instance where the U.S. has surrendered a citizen for crimes committed in El Salvador, as stated by the DOJ.

According to authorities, Castillo Murga picked up both Nájera Quezada and their toddler from her mother’s home on January 31, 2019, under the pretense of starting a family life together. However, investigators believe he killed her and subsequently abandoned the child near her body, which was found the following day along a highway.

An autopsy revealed that Nájera Quezada died from severe bleeding due to cuts to her neck and other injuries inflicted with a plastic knife. The child, who was under two at the time, was discovered days later in a rugged area, severely dehydrated and malnourished, with visible signs of abuse.

Law enforcement linked Castillo Murga to the crime through cellphone data and witness testimonies. Allegedly, he even sent a photo to his girlfriend showing blood on his face and neck. Furthermore, prosecutors accused his grandmother and a lawyer of attempting to hide evidence by cleaning his vehicle, but they failed to eliminate all traces of blood.

Following the incident, Castillo Murga fled to Guatemala with the help of his grandmother and lawyer around February 2, 2019, and later entered the U.S. In October 2024, he was arrested by U.S. Marshals in response to El Salvador’s extradition request.

Castillo Murga contested his extradition in court, but a judge rejected his challenges in late 2025 and again denied a pause on the transfer this September. Ultimately, the Secretary of State approved the extradition, leading to his transfer to Salvadoran authorities on Wednesday.