San Diego – In a chilling revelation, Benjamin Madrigal-Birrueta, an undocumented Mexican national, has pleaded guilty in federal court to the murders of Cesar Murillo and his six-months-pregnant wife, Maira Hernandez. The heinous acts were committed during a drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, on August 28, 2022, Madrigal-Birrueta, along with co-conspirators, shot Murillo multiple times in the back of the head and torso during an argument at a remote ranch outside Yakima. The couple’s bodies were then buried near the ranch.
Four days later, Madrigal-Birrueta lured Hernandez to the ranch under false pretenses. Upon arrival, she was shot multiple times by co-conspirators, resulting in the death of both her and their unborn child.
Madrigal-Birrueta admitted that the murders were committed as part of a drug trafficking conspiracy, with the co-conspirators owing money to Murillo and Hernandez for an unpaid drug debt. The defendant is scheduled for sentencing on March 27, 2026.
The investigation, which led agents to recover the victims’ remains in September 2023, was exhaustive, utilizing geophysicists, ground-penetrating radar, and numerous law enforcement techniques. Agents also seized methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, firearms, and body armor from Madrigal-Birrueta’s drug trafficking organization.
Ricardo Orizaba-Zendejas is charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder and a co-conspirator in Madrigal’s drug trafficking organization, with trial set for October 27, 2025. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Wong, Alexandra Foster, Mario Peia, and Brandon Kimura.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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