Executive Summary
- U.S. Marshals are searching for Uriel Cazares-Vega after he failed to appear for a court hearing in Jenks, Oklahoma.
- The suspect’s charges were upgraded from manslaughter to murder following a review of surveillance evidence.
- Police allege the suspect intentionally struck the victim with his vehicle while she was acting as a Good Samaritan.
- Authorities have also charged the suspect’s girlfriend with accessory to murder for allegedly lying to investigators.
U.S. Marshals have launched a manhunt for an Oklahoma man accused of murder who failed to appear for a mandatory court hearing on Monday. Uriel Cazares-Vega, initially charged with manslaughter in connection with a vehicular fatality in Jenks, is now considered a fugitive after prosecutors upgraded the charge to murder.
According to the Jenks Police Department, the incident occurred when the victim, Eriyon Tescon, attempted to assist Dayna Fesler, the suspect’s girlfriend, at a gas station. Police state that Fesler had been ejected from a vehicle prior to the encounter. Chief Jason Jackson of the Jenks Police Department reported that surveillance footage captured Cazares-Vega waiting in his vehicle nearby before accelerating and striking Tescon. “The video shows Cazares-Vega speeding up toward the victim, hitting her, and dragging her,” Chief Jackson noted, asserting that the collision was intentional rather than accidental.
Police reports indicate that Cazares-Vega was originally released on bond following the initial manslaughter charge. However, authorities subsequently upgraded the charge to first-degree murder based on the video evidence and witness statements. Fesler has also been charged with accessory to murder, with investigators alleging she provided false information regarding the events leading to Tescon’s death.
Investigative Outlook
The involvement of the U.S. Marshals Service signals a significant escalation in law enforcement efforts to locate Cazares-Vega, prioritizing the apprehension of a suspect now considered a high-risk fugitive due to the severity of the upgraded charges. The procedural shift from manslaughter to murder suggests prosecutors believe the evidence demonstrates premeditation or malicious intent, fundamentally altering the legal stakes of the case. As the search continues, authorities are urging the public to report any information regarding the suspect’s whereabouts to emergency services immediately. It is important to note that all individuals, including Cazares-Vega and Fesler, are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
