On Thursday, four Columbian nationals were arrested in a pair of traffic stops carried out by a multi-agency task force in Houston. The suspects have been on the run since allegedly fatally wounding a jewelry salesman on April 17.
Fernando Rodriguez-Amaya, 50, Luis Garcia-Campos, 30, Oscar Ruiz Garcia, 38, and Maria Silva, 30, have all been charged with murder and theft and are currently being held in the Walker County Jail. Immigration holds have also been placed on each of the suspects.
On the night of April 17, Arif Sayed, 59, was eating his meal at a McDonalds in Huntsville, when he saw a group of people breaking into his car. By the time he went outside to confront the thieves, they had already taken several boxes of merchandise from his vehicle.
Sayed was reportedly hit by their 1999 Honda Odyssey as they sped from the parking lot.
Sayed was taken by helicopter to Hermann Memorial Hospital in Houston. He died two days later from his injuries.
At the time of the attack, Sayed was on his way back home from a jewelry convention. Police believe the illegal aliens followed him from the convention to Huntsville, just looking for a chance to steal the jewelry he purchased.
Though Sayed died on April 19, police delayed releasing the news of his death because the suspects were believed to be foreign nationals.
Huntsville Chief of Police Kevin Lunsford told The Huntsville Item: “We didn’t want to release that information for fear that they would flee the country.”
According to HPD Lt. Curt Landrum, the Columbian nationals are part of a “South American theft group,” who have been targeting jewelers and salesmen.
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