The Associated Press
PHOENIX- A Mexican immigrant wanted for questioning in a triple slaying surfaced at the Mexican border with his two missing children last week, Mexican and Arizona officials said.
Authorities have been searching for Rodrigo Cervantes Zavala since July 10, when his two children - 18-month-old Bryan Cervantes and 3-year-old Jennifer Cervantes - were discovered missing a few hours after the bodies of their grandparents and uncle were found in a suburban Phoenix home.
Investigators suspected that Cervantes Zavala, a 34-year-old illegal immigrant, might flee to Mexico and authorities issued a statewide emergency alert for the missing children between 2 and 3 a.m. on July 11, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said.
But border officials say they weren’t notified until 4:30 a.m. that day.
Mexican customs Inspector Isai Moreno Rivas told the East Valley Tribune that at 3 a.m. Monday, he pulled over the driver of a 1993 Buick Regal who seemed confused by the traffic lights.
Moreno Rivas said Cervantes appeared drunk and was not wearing a shirt. He and his children weren’t wearing shoes. The young boy wasn’t wearing pants.
Cervantes said his wife was waiting for him to cross the border between Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Mexico, the inspector told the Tribune in an interview Sunday. Because Cervantes didn’t have the correct paperwork, Mexican customs impounded the car.
Cervantes then took the children in a taxi to a Nogales motel, and is still on the loose.
Commander Raul Guillen of the Sonora state police in Mexico said the Mexican customs officer did not recognize that the vehicle was wanted. The emergency alert system does not reach across the border.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Sunday he was frustrated that Cervantes did cross the border, but said he was continuing to work with Mexican authorities to locate the father and his children.
“We want those children back into the U.S. - they are U.S. citizens - and back with their mother,” Arpaio said. “We want this guy arrested.”