Photo: Leopoldo Vargas Serrano
After 19 years, the suspect in an Anaheim homicide has been arrested in Houston, Texas.
The alleged murderer, identified as Leopoldo Vargas Serrano, currently 47 years old, is believed to have shot a coworker during an argument on October 16, 2000. The decedent was 21-year-old Luis Garcia Bucio of Anaheim.
At around 2:00 PM, Anaheim police responded to witness reports of the shooting, which occurred in front of a business in the 1600 block of North Miller Street. A warrant for Serrano’s arrest was issued on November 2nd, but police were unable to apprehend him.
“In early 2019, Anaheim Cold Case Homicide detectives, in collaboration with the Orange County District Attorney’s TracKRS Unit, developed information that Serrano had been living under an assumed name in Houston, Texas,” according to the Anaheim Police Department’s press release.
A search warrant was served at Serrano’s residence in Houston on September 11th of this year. “On that same date, Serrano was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for unlawful entry.”
Serrano’s identity was confirmed through Rapid DNA technology after the ICE arrest occurred.
Nearly a month later, on October 10th, Serrano was brought into Anaheim police custody from the Houston U.S. Marshals Service. He was transported back to Orange County is being held on a bail of $1 million.
