Alleged Murderer Extradited From El Salvador To New Jersey

NEWARK, NJ — Authorities have extradited a 35-year-old man living in El Salvador back to New Jersey to face murder charges more than 14 years after a shooting at a Newark bar killed a man and wounded three others.

On Thursday, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office announced that Marvin Argueta, 35, of El Salvador, was extradited back to New Jersey to face murder charges in connection with the 2004 shooting of Miguel Gamez, 31, of Newark.

On Feb. 15, 2004, around 1 a.m., Gamez, and three other people were shot at La Caverna Bar located at 218 Mulberry Street in Newark. Gamez died but the other victims survived, prosecutors said.

According to prosecutors:

“On that same date, Feb. 15, 2004, a warrant was issued for Argueta's arrest for the murder of Gamez, multiple counts of assault, and weapon offenses. On Nov. 12, 2004, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Argueta with the murder of Miguel Gamez, the shooting of the three other victims and weapons offenses. Argueta failed to appear for arraignment and the judge subsequently issued a bench warrant for Argueta's arrest.”

Despite efforts to locate and arrest Argueta for both the arrest warrant and the bench warrant for failure to appear for arraignment, he disappeared until about three years ago, when authorities located him in El Salvador, prosecutors said.

On July 2, 2018 – more than 14 years after the Newark murder – the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office received word that the Salvadoran Supreme Court fully approved the extradition of Argueta.

“We are pleased that after 14 and ½ years and through the joint effort of local, state, and federal authorities, Marvin Argueta was finally apprehended and brought back to New Jersey to face these very serious charges,” Assistant Prosecutor Justin Edwab said Thursday.

Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert Laurino commended the law enforcement partners who assisted in making the extradition of Argueta possible: the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs, FBI, Department of State, U.S. Marshalls, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office and the Newark Police Department.

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