Illegal immigrant wanted in Illinois murder captured in Mexico

An illegal immigrant wanted in the 2023 murder of a Springfield, Illinois woman has been taken into custody in Mexico, according to officials.

Gabriel P. Calixto was apprehended in Mexico in connection with the July 11, 2023 killing of 24-year-old Emma Shafer, according to Sangamon County State’s Attorney John C. Milhiser. Springfield police officers discovered Shafer deceased at a residence on South 8th Street with multiple sharp force injuries.

Calixto was indicted by a Sangamon County grand jury on three counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated domestic battery. Authorities said he will face extradition proceedings in coordination with federal officials.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a post that Calixto had “been evading justice for two years after stabbing 24-year-old Emma Shafer” and praised law enforcement partners for the arrest. “We will continue to work with federal authorities to coordinate extradition proceedings,” Noem added.

Secretary Noem described Calixto as an “illegal alien” in her statement.

Shafer’s killing drew widespread attention in Springfield in 2023. Authorities described the case as a domestic-related homicide, and Calixto was quickly identified as the suspect but fled before he could be taken into custody, according to local media reports.