San Diego, California News Station - KFMB Channel 8 - cbs8.comFugitive wanted in 2002 murder extradited to San Diego

Fugitive wanted in 2002 murder extradited to San Diego

OCEANSIDE (CNS) - A 40-year-old man accused of stabbing a 29-year-old man to death in Oceanside and then fleeing to Mexico was behind bars in North County Friday, authorities said.

U.S. marshals handed custody of Fernando Herrera-Salas over to Oceanside police detectives on Thursday and he was booked into the Vista jail on suspicion of murder, Oceanside police Lt. Leonard Mata said.

Herrera-Salas and and three other gang members allegedly beat and stabbed Clemente Nulutagua to death in the 400 block of Garfield Street on Feb. 17, 2002.

A warrant for Herrera-Salas' arrest was issued following the death but he fled to Mexico, Mata said.

He was arrested by Mexican authorities last September and kept in custody pending extradition. Mexican authorities released him Thursday to U.S. marshals, who turned him over to Oceanside police.

Two of Herrera-Salas' alleged accomplices, his brother Carlos Herrera-Salas and Jose Manuel Garcia, were arrested shortly after the death and later pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Each is serving a 21-year state prison sentence.