Cesar Armando Murillo, 44, was murdered on August 31, 2022, in Yakima, Washington. He and Maira Sofia Hernandez, 33 and six months pregnant, were allegedly targeted and killed to prevent them from testifying in federal drug trafficking prosecutions. Authorities say the killings were carried out by an alleged trafficker, Benjamin Madrigal-Birrueta.

Investigators located Murillo’s and Hernandez’s remains in September 2023 in a remote high-desert area near Yakima after an extensive search that used ground-penetrating radar and cadaver dogs. A superseding indictment unsealed afterward charged Madrigal-Birrueta with two counts of murder and multiple related offenses; an alleged accomplice, Ricardo Orizaba, was charged as an accessory after the fact.

The case highlights violence linked to drug trafficking and the risks faced by potential witnesses. Does anyone have information about Murillo’s movements in Yakima before August 31, 2022, or about the area where the bodies were found?