'America's Most Wanted' Prunedale Murder Suspect Arrested Crossing Mexico Border

A man wanted since 2004 for a murder at a Prunedale Taco Bell was arrested while attempting to enter Arizona from Mexico on Tuesday, the Monterey County Sheriff's Office said today.

Raul M. Sandoval Jr., 26, had a warrant for his arrest in connection with the Dec. 12, 2004, fatal stabbing of Brenden Tsukimura, 18, during an attempted robbery at the Taco Bell in the Prunedale Shopping Center at 17533 Vierra Canyon Road.

Two men were already convicted in the case, what prosecutors said was a botched robbery that led to the death of Tsukimura, an employee at the restaurant.

Prosecutors said the three men entered the Taco Bell and one, Gabriel Alcaraz, confronted the night manager with a shotgun. The manager pushed Alcaraz away and locked himself in the office to call police.

Another suspect, Cain Beltran, actually killed Tsukimura when he took him to a refrigeration unit out of witnesses' view and stabbed him to death.

Beltran was sentenced to life in prison after he was convicted of first-degree murder in 2005, and Alcaraz was sentenced to 25 years in 2006 for voluntary manslaughter, attempted robbery, burglary, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to commit burglary and assault with a deadly weapon.

Investigators also suspected that Sandoval was involved in the robbery and murder, and said that he fled the Monterey County area in the days after the incident.

He was featured twice on America's Most Wanted and was listed on its website, but eluded authorities, including the U.S. Marshals Office, until his capture Tuesday.

Sandoval was found trying to cross the border from Mexico in San Luis, Ariz., at about 11:30 a.m. and was arrested. Investigators from Monterey County have flown to Arizona to follow up on his arrest, sheriff's officials said.

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