The FBI has added a new fugitive to its Ten Most Wanted list, a Texas man who is accused of multiple crimes, including murder, kidnapping, and sexual assault. Omar Alexander Cardenas, 47, is the newest member of the nationwide list that is circulated to law enforcement and contains the most sought-after criminals. A reward of $100,000 is being offered for information into Cardenas’s whereabouts that leads to an arrest.
Background
According to the FBI, Cardenas is wanted for his alleged involvement in several violent incidents that occurred in Texas between 2019 and 2021. He is suspected of killing a man in Houston in 2019, kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman in San Antonio in 2020, and shooting and injuring a police officer in Austin in 2021. He is also wanted for parole violation, as he was previously convicted of drug trafficking and firearms offenses.
Cardenas is described as a white (Hispanic) male, 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 190 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He has tattoos on his chest, back, arms, and legs, and scars on his face and neck. He is considered armed and dangerous, and may have access to various weapons and vehicles. He has ties to Mexico and may have fled there or to other parts of Central or South America.
Implications
Cardenas’s addition to the Ten Most Wanted list reflects the FBI’s determination to capture him and bring him to justice. The list, which was established in 1950, has featured some of the most notorious criminals in American history, such as Osama bin Laden, Ted Bundy, and James Earl Ray. The list is updated as fugitives are captured or killed, or as new cases emerge. The FBI relies on public assistance and media exposure to help locate and apprehend the fugitives.
Cardenas is the second Texas man to be on the current list, joining Alvin Charles McKnight Jr., who is wanted for capital murder in Gilmer, Texas. McKnight is accused of killing his girlfriend and her two children in 2018. He is also a member of the 52 Hoover Crips gang and may have associates in Texas, Louisiana, and California.
Conclusion
The FBI is urging anyone with information about Cardenas or McKnight to contact their local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. The FBI warns that no one should attempt to apprehend these fugitives themselves, as they are considered armed and dangerous. The FBI hopes that with the help of the public and the media, these fugitives will be caught and face the consequences of their crimes.