Relentless Pursuit: U.S. Marshals Arrest Suspected Norteños Murderers in Multi-State Manhunt

Spokane, WA – The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), in coordination with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, continues to demonstrate the effectiveness of its rapidly advancing manhunt program in the pursuit and apprehension of violent fugitives.

Following the tragic March 21, 2025, drive-by shooting in Moses Lake, Washington, which claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy and critically injured four others, the USMS Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) launched an intensive multi-agency effort to locate and arrest those responsible.

Case Progression:

• March 24, 2025: A juvenile suspect was arrested in Richland, Washington, at the request of the U.S. Marshals Service to prevent his escape while he received treatment for a self-inflicted gunshot wound at Kadlec Regional Medical Center. The arrest was conducted in coordination with the Richland Police Department. The suspect was charged with first-degree murder and multiple felony counts.
• March 25, 2025: Arrest warrants were issued for Jose Beltran-Rodriguez and Matthew Valdez, charging them with first-degree murder, five counts of first-degree assault, drive-by shooting, and felon in possession of a firearm.
• March 27, 2025: The U.S. Marshals Task Force and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team executed a search warrant at a Spokane residence in pursuit of Beltran-Rodriguez.
• March 28, 2025: Fugitive Matthew Valdez was apprehended in Beaverton, Oregon, with assistance from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Community Violence Reduction Team and Tactical Negotiations Team.
• March 29, 2025: The U.S. Marshals Service announced a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of Beltran-Rodriguez, the last remaining suspect.
• March 30, 2025: Jose Beltran-Rodriguez was arrested in Redding, California, and booked into jail pending extradition hearings.

Participating Agencies:

The USMS Investigation Operations Division (IOD) played a pivotal role in supporting the rapidly advancing manhunt, bringing together a vast network of resources from across the country, including:

•    Moses Lake Police Department
•    USMS Aviation
•    USMS Domestic Investigations Branch
•    USMS District of Oregon
•    USMS Eastern District of California
•    USMS Incident Management Team
•    USMS Northern District of California
•    USMS Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)/Organized Crime and Gangs (OCAG) Unit
•    USMS PSWRTF
•    USMS Special Operations Group
•    USMS TOG
•    USMS TOG Rocky Mountain
•    Members from USMS Regional Fugitive Task Forces across the country
•    Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
•    Benton County Sheriff’s Office - Washington
•    Stockton Police Department - California
•    Spokane County Sheriff’s Office - Washington
•    U.S. Border Patrol
•    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
•    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington
•    Washington County Sheriff’s Office - Oregon
•    Washington State Department of Corrections
•    Washington State Patrol
•    Yakima PD
•    Yakima County Sheriff’s Office
•    And many other agencies

Additionally, the Moses Lake Police Department worked tirelessly around the clock, contributing significantly to the investigation and ensuring coordination among all involved agencies. Their relentless efforts were instrumental in the swift conclusion of this manhunt.

Ongoing Investigations and New Charges:

As a result of the investigation, associates of Beltran-Rodriguez, Valdez, and the juvenile in both Moses Lake and Spokane, Washington, are now facing criminal investigations and new charges. The ATF and the Moses Lake Police Department are actively pursuing federal charges against all individuals involved in this violent crime.

Beltran-Rodriguez, Valdez, and the juvenile suspect are all suspected members of the Norteños, a transnational criminal organization with ties to violent crime, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses across the United States and beyond.

Rapidly Advancing Manhunt (RAM):

The rapidly advancing manhunt program combines real-time intelligence sharing, cutting-edge technology, and interagency collaboration to track and capture violent fugitives. This case highlights the use of the RAM model.

“The swift identification and arrest of multiple fugitives in this case demonstrates the strength of the U.S. Marshals Service’s proactive manhunt strategy,” said Craig Thayer, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Washington. “By leveraging cutting-edge investigative tools, intelligence analysis, and close partnerships with our law enforcement partners, we ensure that violent criminals are swiftly brought to justice.”

This remains an active and ongoing investigation. Further details will be released as they become available.

The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force is a U.S. Marshals-led partnership comprising federal, state, and local law enforcement officers from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. The task force’s primary mission is to locate, arrest and return to the justice system the most violent and egregious federal and state fugitives. Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or USMS Tips.