Man accused in Murrieta murder is 'America's Most Wanted' No. 3 fugitive


MURRIETA —— Tips continue to come in to Murrieta police regarding the whereabouts of accused murderer Fabian Cayetano Urrea after the TV show "America's Most Wanted" recently broadcast him as its No. 3 fugitive for 2005.

"None have panned out so far," Murrieta police Sgt. Jim Ganley said.

Urrea is being sought in connection with the June 9 shooting death of a soldier home on emergency leave from Iraq. The soldier —— back in town to be with his wife who was having a baby —— was shot three times in the parking lot of a Murrieta apartment complex.

On Dec. 17, John Walsh, host of the Fox TV show, announced his yearly Top Ten Fugitives, naming Urrea at No. 3. A short recap of the case was broadcast and Ganley said police have received about 25 tips so far from people who believe they may have seen Urrea.

"America's Most Wanted" first broadcast the search for Urrea in August and Murrieta police received about 40 tips after that more in-depth episode, Ganley said.

None of the 65 tips have been in the area where police think Urrea might be —— in Imperial County near the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the sergeant.

Tips from "America's Most Wanted" followers have come from as far away as Canada, Ganley said, with many others emanating from Arizona and Nevada.

Urrea, 19, remains a fugitive from justice since he disappeared after the slaying of California Army National Guard Spc. Jorge Estrada.

Estrada, 24, was in Murrieta on emergency leave from active duty in Iraq so he could be with his 20-year-old wife, Diana, when she gave birth.

Urrea, who was living in Mead Valley at the time, is the biological father of the baby girl who was born to Diana three days before Estrada's murder, police say. Urrea is also the estranged boyfriend of Diana Estrada.

Urrea came to the Estradas' Murrieta apartment early June 9 and, while in the parking lot, had an argument over custody of the baby, investigators say. Urrea suddenly pulled a 9mm semiautomatic handgun from his waistband and shot Jorge Estrada three times in the upper body.

Diana Estrada was standing next to her husband, holding the newborn baby, when the shots rang out. Urrea then sped away in his pickup truck, which was recovered several days later in Hemet.

A relative told police she drove Urrea to the Mexican border.

Greg Klein, creative producer of "America's Most Wanted," said Wednesday that Urrea became the show's No. 3 fugitive because Walsh and producers felt there was both a seriousness and timeliness to what happened.

"There is a relevancy to what is going on in Iraq right now," Klein said from his Washington, D.C., office.

"This was a story John (Walsh) knows very well … and he is a big supporter of the troops," Klein said, adding that Walsh personally felt a closeness to Estrada's story.

"This really is such a senseless murder," Klein said. "Here's a guy fighting for his country and what he believes in and he's killed in a (Murrieta) parking lot.


