Fugitive Suspect from Stockton Double Murder Arraigned After Manhunt Ends in Mexico

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced today that Julio Valdez, 38, of Stockton, was arraigned this afternoon at the San Joaquin County Superior Courthouse on two counts of murder under Penal Code Section 187(a), with special circumstances alleged, stemming from the brutal killings of Alicia Montejano, 43, and her 19-year-old son, Reuel Huerta. 

The victims were found dead on December 23, 2024, in an apartment along the 2500 block of Belleview Street in Stockton. Valdez, who was apprehended in Rosarito, Mexico, by the U.S. Marshals Task Force and local law enforcement, was extradited to San Joaquin County to face justice.

Because of the ruthless nature of this case, the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office is not ruling out the death penalty as a potential sentence at this time.

District Attorney Ron Freitas emphasized the gravity of the case, stating, “The viciousness of these murders has shaken our community to its core. Alicia Montejano and Reuel Huerta deserved to live their lives free from violence, and we will pursue every measure of justice available to ensure their killer faces the full consequences of his actions. No family should endure this pain, and no criminal should escape accountability.”

The case remains under active investigation. Valdez’s next court appearance is scheduled for March 10, 2025, in Department 8C.