Elijah Turner Reyes, one of Texas' 10 Most Wanted fugitives, is back in El Paso custody after authorities tracked him down in Tijuana and had him deported earlier this month, wrapping up a months-long search by state and federal agencies. The 25-year-old is accused of a homicide case and had multiple outstanding warrants dating back to mid-2025. Law enforcement officials say tips submitted to Crime Stoppers helped point investigators to his location outside the country.
According to MyTexasDaily, Texas Department of Public Safety agents report that Reyes was taken into custody in Tijuana on a Thursday and deported into U.S. custody at the El Paso port of entry the following Saturday. The outlet notes that the arrest involved coordination among the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, DPS special agents, and the El Paso Police Department. Authorities added that a reward tied to his Most Wanted posting helped generate the tips that cracked the case.
How authorities tracked him down
The takedown capped a cross-border operation that pulled in federal, state and local partners, a setup the U.S. Marshals Service regularly uses when fugitives flee into Mexico. The U.S. Marshals Service posts routine updates on Lone Star Task Force captures across the region. Texas officials say Crime Stoppers tips produced actionable leads, and that a reward connected to Reyes' Most Wanted listing helped drive those tips. The state's fugitive posting lays out the underlying case details.
Warrants and criminal history
The Texas Department of Public Safety's fugitive listing shows Reyes has been wanted since May 22, 2025, after an El Paso arrest warrant for murder, with additional warrants issued June 16, 2025, for failure to appear on earlier charges that include burglary of a habitation and possession of a controlled substance. DPS records state he was convicted of aggravated robbery in 2019, received a five-year sentence, and was discharged from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in January 2024. "Subject should be considered ARMED and DANGEROUS," the DPS notice warns; Texas Department of Public Safety has the full fugitive listing.
What's next
Reyes is now being held in El Paso, where local authorities are processing him ahead of any formal arraignment. Officials had not yet released a court date. Prosecutors in El Paso County will decide how to proceed on the pending warrants and related filings as the case moves through the local court system. Hoodline previously tracked Reyes' addition to the state's Most Wanted list in October; earlier coverage has background on the reward and poster.
