Mexican Federal Supreme Court Revokes Rafael Caro Quintero's Appeal And Release

Rafael Caro Quintero and Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar

Mexican feds searching for the Guadalajara Cartel leader involved with a DEA agent's torture and homicide in 1985.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

January 17, 2015

Mexico, D.F. - On Friday, the Mexican Federal Supreme Court revoked the lower Jalisco state court of appeals decision to free Rafael Caro Quintero, 59, the Guadalajara Cartel drug lord after it found that Quintero and other cartel members were prosecuted in a federal court instead of a state court. Quintero walked free from prison on August 2013 and disappeared. 

Quintero spent 28 years in prison of a 40 year sentence in connection with the February 1985 kidnapping, torture and murder of both DEA Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar and his pilot Alfredo Zavala Avela, a Mexican national. 

The Mexican feds learned of Quintero's release, just eight hours after he walked out a free man and vanished. Which raised criticism that he paid for his freedom.

The Mexican government in 2013 issued a warrant for his arrest and the U.S. placed a $5M reward for information leading to Quintero's arrest.
The U.S. has also indicted Quintero for drug laundering and will most likely seek extradition, if Quintero is taken into custody in Mexico. 
Quintero and several other suspects in 1985 ordered Camarena killed after their $10 billion dollar marijuana and drug manufacturing ranch called the Buffalo was raided and confiscated by Mexican federal authorities. Camarena and his pilot were kidnapped in Guadalajara and then their bodies were discovered in a shallow grave a month later. Both Camarena and his pilot's bodies showed signs of torture before being killed.