Peruvian Gang Leader Wanted for Over 20 Killings Gets Arrested

Captured in New York, Gianfranco Torres-Navarro, a Peruvian gang leader accused of 23 killings, faces a daunting road ahead.

At a Glance

Gianfranco Torres-Navarro, leader of “Los Killers,” arrested in New York by U.S. immigration authorities.
Torres-Navarro entered the U.S. illegally and was initially released by border patrol.
A wanted man in Peru for 23 murders, he allegedly used violence to eliminate rivals and expand territory.
Girlfriend Mishelle Sol Ivanna Ortíz Ubillús was also arrested in Pennsylvania.

Arrest in New York

U.S. immigration authorities arrested Gianfranco Torres-Navarro in Endicott, New York. Overshadowing the arrest is his record in Peru, where the leader of the notorious “Los Killers” gang is wanted for 23 murders. Torres-Navarro managed to evade Peruvian officers until an international warrant was issued in July.

The arrest led to the detention of his girlfriend, Mishelle Sol Ivanna Ortíz Ubillús, in Pennsylvania. She reportedly holds a significant role in gang activities and wields considerable influence over a large social media following. The couple had been on the radar of international authorities who tracked them through phone calls and messages.

#Peruvian Gang Leader Gianfranco Torres-Navarro, Wanted For 23 Killings, Arrested In #NewYork https://t.co/PtpgoYQwIb

— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) August 16, 2024

A Sinister Past

Torres-Navarro’s violent reign began in Peru, where he allegedly orchestrated numerous gang-related killings to consolidate power. Among his alleged victims were a retired police officer and a municipal employee, both murdered in March. Peruvian authorities issued an international warrant in July, and within weeks, U.S. officials received information on his whereabouts.

Col. Franco Moreno emphasized Torres-Navarro’s notoriety, saying, “He is a highly dangerous criminal who believed he was untouchable and responsible for 23 murders, including other gang leaders who ended up dead along with their families, all in order to increase his criminal leadership.”

Torres-Navarro’s record includes evading capture and being sentenced in absentia in 2019 for illegal weapons possession. Despite his 2020 detention in Lima, Peru, he was later acquitted. His flight to the U.S. began following a spate of alleged murders and the issuance of an international warrant in July 2024.

Current Status and the Next Steps

Currently, Torres-Navarro is held near Buffalo, awaiting an immigration hearing. The case marks the culmination of a strategic operation led by Peruvian and U.S. authorities. Immigration Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Buffalo took the decisive step to apprehend the suspect, who had entered the U.S. illegally through the Texas-Mexico border on May 16 and was initially released by border patrol.

As the investigation unfolds, ICE’s Buffalo Field Office Director of enforcement removal operations, Thomas Brophy, stated, “Gianfranco Torres-Navarro poses a significant threat to our communities, and we won’t allow New York to be a safe haven for dangerous noncitizens.”

Six members of “Los Killers” were apprehended in June, linked to charges including homicide and extortion. This includes crimes involving coercing construction companies to comply via violent means.

With the arrest of Torres-Navarro and his accomplice, the judicial system faces the challenge of dismantling the remnants of the “Los Killers” gang. Efforts persist to keep neighborhoods across the U.S. and Peru shielded from such violent activities.