GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A suspect in a 2005 murder has been extradited and is now being held at the Kent County Jail awaiting trial.
Ricardo Fabela Jr. was brought to Grand Rapids in the custody of FBI agents on Wednesday in connection to the murders of Edgar Lopez and Dipakkumar Patel.
The murders happened Feb. 13, 2005, when Lopez and Patel were shot and killed in a residence in the 1700 block of Buchanan Avenue SW.
Investigators with the Grand Rapids Police Department investigated the murders and issued warrants for Fabela and Miguel Vidana. Both fled the jurisdiction, and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution warrants were issued.
Vidana was later arrested in Texas in November 2007. He returned to Grand Rapids, was convicted and is currently serving his sentence.
Fabela was located in Mexico, and local police issued a provisional arrest warrant to begin the extradition process. The warrant was approved on Aug. 23, 2013, and Fabela was arrested on April 10, 2019.
“This is an example of the determination of GRPD detectives and the partnership between local, federal, and international law enforcement to see an investigation through no matter how long that takes,” said GRPD Chief of Police Eric Winstrom.
“Ricardo Fabela’s extradition brings a criminal to justice and reaffirms our partnership with the Grand Rapids Police Department,” said Special Agent in Charge James A. Tarasca of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “The long arm of the law reaches farther with every successful extradition to and from the United States, as we work with our partners around the world to make sure criminals cannot find safe haven from justice.”
Fabela is now awaiting trial for the murders.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
