California – A shocking murder case has come to light in Southern California as Benjamin Madrigal-Birrueta, a 22-year-old undocumented Mexican national from Yakima, Washington, admitted in federal court to the murders of a man, his pregnant wife, and their unborn child. The killings occurred as part of a drug trafficking conspiracy.
Murders Linked to Drug Debt
According to court documents, Madrigal-Birrueta and accomplices fatally shot 44-year-old Cesar Murillo on August 28, 2022, at a remote ranch near Yakima, then buried his body.
“The killings were tied to a drug debt owed by Madrigal-Birrueta’s accomplices to the couple,” the U.S. Department of Justice said.
On September 2, 2022, Madrigal-Birrueta lured 33-year-old Maira Hernandez, Murillo’s visibly pregnant wife, to the ranch under the pretense that her husband was waiting. She was then shot in the head and buried nearby, along with her unborn child.
Co-Conspirators and Charges
The indictment also charges Ricardo Orizaba-Zendejas as an accessory to murder and co-conspirator in the drug ring. His trial is scheduled for October 27, 2025…