Ellen Ferrante: The FBI is seeking Ten Most Wanted Fugitive Alejandro, or “Alex,” Castillo, who is allegedly responsible for murdering a woman in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The FBI is offering a reward that recently increased from up to $100,000 to up to $250,000 for information leading to his arrest.

Tune in to this episode to learn more.

I’m Ellen Ferrante, and this is Inside the FBI.

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Ferrante: In 2016, Alex Castillo was only 17 years old when he allegedly murdered “Sandy” Ly Le. They worked together at a restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina. A joint investigation by the FBI and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department revealed that Castillo owed Le money—approximately $1,000.

According to text messages between Castillo and Le, they agreed to meet on August 9, 2016, so he could repay the loan.

Instead, he made Le withdraw money from an ATM. Afterwards, investigators believe Castillo drove Le to a wooded area outside of Charlotte where he allegedly shot her in the head and dumped her body in a ravine. Le was 23-years-old.

Castillo then allegedly took Le’s car and fled the scene. On August 15, Le’s car was left at a bus station in Phoenix, Arizona.

The next day after 9:00 p.m., Castillo was seen on surveillance video crossing the border from Noagles, Arizona, into Mexico. Around the same time, Le’s body was found and identified back in North Carolina.

Castillo remains at large. His last known residence was in Charlotte, North Carolina, and he has family ties to Phoenix, Arizona.

Shelley Lynch is the Public Affairs Specialist from FBI Charlotte, the field office working on the case.

Shelley Lynch: So, we do believe that Castillo is still in Mexico, potentially in Aguascalientes or Veracruz. We also believe that he is getting help hiding from legal authorities. And we want to let people know that if they are helping him avoid capture, they are also committing a crime.

We really want to encourage anyone to come forward who may have information to help us get Castillo into custody and remind the public that there is a reward of up to $250,000 for information.

Ferrante: Today, Castillo is 24 years old. Lynch explains:

Lynch: Now, many years have gone by since Castillo fled the country after allegedly committing this crime. So, a lot could have changed about his appearance during this time period. He may have gained weight. He may have lost weight. He could have changed his hair. He could have a beard. But what we really want to focus on is the idea that this crime that he's accused of committing, he hasn't changed that.

Ferrante: Castillo is considered armed and dangerous. If you have information regarding Castillo, please contact your local FBI office or the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. To learn more about the case and to view the surveillance video, visit fbi.gov/wanted/topten.

Lynch: It’s been almost seven years since Sandy was killed, and her family has waited a long time for justice. We really need someone to come forward to tell us where Castillo is at this time. We want to make sure that we can get him into custody, have him go through the proper legal channels, be held accountable, and if he is convicted in a court of law, that he goes through the judicial process and serves his time.

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Ferrante: This has been another production of Inside the FBI. You can follow us on your favorite podcast player, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcasts. You can also subscribe to email alerts about new episodes at fbi.gov/podcasts.

I’m Ellen Ferrante from the FBI’s Office of Public Affairs. Thanks for tuning in.