U.S. Marshals Elevate Fugitive Couple to 15 Most Wanted Status, Offer Up To $25,000 Each for Information Leading to Arrest

Washington – U.S. Marshals in the Eastern District of Washington are offering up to $25,000 each as a reward for information leading to the arrest of a man and woman wanted on murder and multiple child sex abuse charges.  

Edgar Salvador Casian-Garcia, 34, and his girlfriend, Araceli Medina, 38, are both charged in Franklin County, Washington, with aggravated murder in the first degree, four counts of rape of a child in the first degree and three counts of assault of a child in the first degree.    

The charges come after Casian-Garcia’s biological daughters, 8 and 3, were found abandoned in Tijuana, Mexico, in late 2020.  Both girls showed signs of severe physical and sexual abuse.  Subsequent forensic interviews done with both girls determined that Casian-Garcia and Medina had likely been abusing and sex trafficking the children, as well as the girls’ 7-year-old brother, who is believed to have been tortured to death in Washington state and his body later dumped.  His remains were found in a rural part of Franklin County in February 2022.  

Investigators say they believe that when Casian-Garcia and Medina learned they would be charged in the case, they fled Washington state and were seen crossing into Mexico in June 2021.  Medina’s three children from a previous marriage and two other children possibly shared with Casian-Garcia are currently unaccounted for and may be at risk for sexual abuse or trafficking.  The Kennewick Police Department lists them as missing and endangered. Medina picked up the children from their father two days before she and Casian-Garcia allegedly fled to Mexico.

The U.S. Marshals in the Eastern District of Washington have followed up on numerous leads and are attempting to locate the couple in Mexico. Investigators say they have reason to believe that they are currently in or around the city of Mazatlan, Sinaloa, or possibly Tepic, Nayarit. 

“Edgar Salvador Casian-Garcia and Araceli Medina are accused of the most heinous crimes against the most vulnerable victims – their own children,” said U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Director Ronald L. Davis. “The Marshals Service and our partner agencies are committed to finding them and bringing them to justice.  The best thing either of them can do at this point is turn themselves in to law enforcement.  I strongly encourage anyone with any information as to their whereabouts to contact us as soon as possible.”  

This is the first time the agency has elevated a couple to its 15 Most Wanted list. 

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Casian-Garcia or Medina is urged to contact the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-877-WANTED2 or use the USMS Tips App. Your information will be taken in strict confidence. Your anonymity is guaranteed.  

The U.S. Marshals 15 Most Wanted (15 MW) fugitive program draws attention to some of the country’s most dangerous and high-profile fugitives. These fugitives tend to be career criminals with histories of violence, and they pose a significant threat to public safety.  Generally, 15MW fugitives are considered the “worst of the worst” and can include murderers, sex offenders, major drug kingpins, organized crime figures and individuals wanted for high-profile financial crimes. Since the program began in 1983, more than 250 15MW fugitive cases have been closed. 

The USMS has a long history of providing assistance and expertise to other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in support of their fugitive investigations. Working with authorities at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels, USMS-led fugitive task forces arrested more than 75,000  fugitives, and cleared nearly 89,000 warrants in FY 2022.