The Tweety Bird Sings

(Posted on 24/02/11)

Julian Zapata Espinoza, known in his drug cartel as "Tweety Bird" was captured on Wednesday and it didn't take long for him to start singing details about the murder of an American Immigration and Customs agent.

That Immigrations and Customs (ICE) agent, Jaime Zapata was murdered while his partner, Victor Avila, also with ICE, was wounded on February 15^th as they traveled a Mexican highway. Espinoza said his gang mistook the SUV the federal agents were traveling in as one that was similar to those driven by rival cartels. The federal vehicle had diplomatic plates that identified it, though Espinoza says they didn't see them.

The agents noticed they were being followed last week as it traveled north near the U.S./Mexican border. One of the two vehicles passed the agents and then cut them off, at which time, up to ten gunmen exited both vehicles and began their brutal assault.

It's also believed the gunmen were looking to steal the vehicle, too.

Mexican law forbids foreign law enforcement to travel with weapons of any kind, so the two agents were helpless. This is the second time in recent months cartels have opened fire on Americans and then claimed mistaken identity. Even as the violence continues to escalate, it is rare for American law enforcement agents to be attacked, though that trend may be lessening.

The second federal agent, Victor Avila, was returned to the United States with a gunshot wound in his leg. It is believed he is recovering in a California or perhaps Arizona hospital. President Obama congratulated the agencies involved with ensuring the arrest of Espinoza and six other gang members. Meanwhile, ICE Director John Morton released his own statement which read, in part, "...we are encouraged by this action and appreciate the efforts by Mexico to bring Special Agent Zapata's killers to justice".

It's not clear what charges Mexican authorities will eventually press and there's no word on whether legal representation has been secured.