Yuma, Ariz. - The U.S. Border Patrol will return a man wanted for attempted homicide to Mexican authorities later this week.
The subject, Marco Antonio Medina-Balderrama, allegedly robbed a Mexican convenience store at gunpoint with a partner in early January. While arguing about who was going to keep the stolen money, Medina-Balderrama allegedly shot his partner twice in the neck. The victim is still in a coma in a Mexican hospital.
On Jan. 4, Mexican authorities contacted the Yuma Sector Border Patrol International Liaison Unit after Medina fled from Mexican police and illegally crossed into the United States about four miles east of the San Luis, Ariz. port of entry. Yuma Station agents had already apprehended the subject after detecting his illegal entry and locating him with help from Yuma Sector Remote Video Surveillance System operators. The ILU then coordinated identification of the subject by arranging a meeting with Mexican police near the port of entry.
Medina-Balderrama is currently in Border Patrol custody and ILU has coordinated his extradition to Mexican authorities for this coming Friday. Medina-Balderrama, who has been apprehended by the Border Patrol 27 times since 2005, faces aggravated robbery and attempted homicide charges in Mexico.
The Yuma Sector ILU develops and maintains open communications and mutual respect with our foreign and domestic law enforcement counterparts. The ILU's primary focus is to bridge cross-border law enforcement objectives to strengthen border safety and security. This cooperation has led to the arrest and eventual prosecution of a violent criminal.