A Washington man accused of killing two women at a bar in 2023 has been captured in Mexico after authorities said he fled his country and the US following the killings.
Samuel Ramirez Jr.was arrested in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, on Tuesday, March 10, about an hour and 13 minutes after being placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, according to the Department of Justice.
Ramirez’s capture broke the record for the “shortest arrest” of fugitives on the FBI’s most wanted list, the Justice Department said Thursday, March 12, in a statement.
According to authorities, Ramirez, 33, arrived in Washington, where he will face murder charges in King County, on the night of Wednesday, March 11.
“Help from the public helped us quickly learn where Mr. Ramirez was hiding and we successfully brought him back to King County to face justice,” Mike Herringtonspecial agent in charge of the FBI’s Seattle office, the statement said.
It’s unclear if Ramirez has an attorney available to comment on his behalf.
Ramirez had been wanted by law enforcement since May 21, 2023, when he was allegedly involved in the murder of two women at Stars Bar and Grill on Federal Way, according to the FBI.
“A third person was also injured in the incident,” the FBI said in a warning issued before his arrest.
The women who were killed were identified as Jessica Hohn again Katie Duhnkeaccording to the Federal Way Police Chief Andy Hwang.
After the murder, Ramirez fled Washington to Lake Havasu City in Arizona, according to the FBI.
From there, the FBI said he was “deported to Tijuana, Mexico” on May 23, 2023.
The next day, an arrest warrant issued for Ramirez out of King County charged him with murder, first degree murder and attempted murder, according to the FBI.
Authorities finally caught up with former Olympic snowboarder and fugitive Ryan Wedding, who was named to the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list nearly a year ago. Officials of the Department of Justice confirmed that the marriage, 44, was arrested in Mexico in a statement issued by X on Friday, January 23. He is accused of interfering in the marriage. […]
In November 2025, an arrest warrant was issued charging Ramirez with illegal flight to avoid prosecution, the Justice Department said.
After the FBI offered a $25,000 reward through December 2025 for any tips leading to his capture, the agency increased the reward to $1 million on March 10, according to the Justice Department.
“This arrest is an important step toward justice for the victims, Jessyca Hohn and Katie Duhnke, and closure for their families and our community,” Hwang said. “We are committed to ensuring that the suspect is fully accountable.”
