Suspect in deadly 2009 shooting found in Mexico

A fugitive believed to have been the shooter in the 2009 killing of a Porterville man has been found out of the country, the Porterville Police Department reported Friday evening.

On Thursday, a U.S. Marshals task force along with a Los Angeles Police Department unit picked up Adrian Ortiz in Mexico, near the eastern cost of Baja. Ortiz, who is listed as a Porterville resident, was flown to Los Angeles, where he was turned over to Porterville Police officers and later booked into the Tulare County Jail on charges of murder and being a member of a criminal street gang.

Ortiz has been the primary suspect in the April 21, 2009 shooting death of Frederick Rojas, 22 of Porterville, in his own apartment in the 1400 block of West Tomah Avenue in Porterville, Porterville Police report.

Rojas was in his apartment when a woman, fleeing from a man who was later identified as Ortiz, 19, entered. Rojas tried to help the woman and was believed to have been fatally shot once in the neck by Ortiz.

Police arrived at the apartment at about 11 p.m. Rojas was transported to Fresno Regional Medical Center where he died from the gunshot wound. Ortiz fled the area.

During the days following the investigation, police learned Ortiz was attempting to flee the country and barely missed apprehending Ortiz in Palmdale.

The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Apprehension Team and the LAPD Foreign Prosecution Liaision Unit assisted on the case.