A Former Drug Cartel Member is Arrested for Homicide

Daniel Villalobos-Espinoza, (DOB 5/16/1995), was arrested by Mesa Police on December 4, 2019, at 557 S. Olive #A. He’s charged with first-degree murder in the death of Carlos Osuna-Apodaca on November 30, 2019, someone who had worked for the same drug cartels.

A witness said Daniel’s brother, Jesus Villalobos-Espinoza, stopped by the apartment to visit the victim but he went to his room. Shortly after, the witness heard two gunshots, opened the door and found Osuna-Apodaca with a gunshot wound to the head and neck, bleeding and unresponsive. The witness then saw Daniel, standing in the apartment with a handgun, telling the witness to mind his own business. Police confirmed the witness information.

In addition, a friend of the brothers told police that Daniel and Jesus had disputes with the victim in the past and that one of the brothers was probably going to shoot Osuna-Apodaca.

 Daniel Villalobos-Espinoza

After a search warrant was served, police found a gun matching the caliber of the murder weapon.

Meanwhile, under Miranda, Jesus told police he was at the victim’s residence when his brother Daniel showed up unexpectedly. Jesus said he went outside to smoke a cigarette but took off after he heard two gunshots inside. Daniel later told Jesus that he and Osuna-Apodaca both worked for the drug cartels as a desert spotter and through third-party information, learned Osuna-Apodaca had been ordered by the cartels to kill him. So, Daniel decided to kill the victim first.

When police arrive, Daniel initially denied committing the murder but then learned of his brother’s statement to police so Daniel confessed. He said Osuna-Apodaca was not armed and his bedroom door was locked. Daniel admits to shooting the victim in the head and then reshooting him just in case he was still alive.