Federal jury in San Diego convicts Mexican national in drug conspiracy tied to Yakima double homicide

Verdict connects cross-border drug distribution case to 2022 killings of a couple and their unborn child

A federal jury in San Diego on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, convicted Ricardo Orizaba-Zendejas, a Mexican national found to be in the United States illegally, of participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that trafficking activity. The case was tried in U.S. District Court in San Diego and centered on an organization based in Yakima, Washington, that investigators said sourced narcotics from Mexico and moved them through ports of entry in the Southern District of California.

The convictions cover conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine, along with the firearms charge. Prosecutors presented evidence describing Orizaba-Zendejas as a drug dealer and enforcer within the Yakima-based operation, which authorities said used stolen vehicles as part of its trafficking activity.

How the investigation began

Investigators traced the case to a traffic stop involving relatives of the defendants. The stop involved a vehicle registered to Brenda Hernandez and led to the discovery of approximately 150,000 fentanyl pills, authorities said. In the aftermath of that stop, federal agents interviewed Jose Murillo and Hernandez, who were identified as members of the same trafficking organization.

Prosecutors argued that Murillo and Hernandez sought to leave the drug trade and had begun speaking with federal agents, a development that authorities said heightened tensions inside the organization.

Killings described during the prosecution

Authorities linked the trafficking conspiracy to the fatal shootings of Murillo and Hernandez in Yakima County in 2022. Prosecutors said Murillo was shot multiple times at a ranch in Yakima on Aug. 28, 2022. Hernandez, who was six months pregnant, was later lured to the same location with the promise of being reunited with her husband and was fatally shot by co-conspirators, according to prosecutors.

The case presented to jurors alleged that the homicides were tied to internal enforcement within the trafficking organization after the couple attempted to exit the operation.

Other defendant and next steps

Authorities identified another defendant, Javier Madrigal-Birrueta, as the leader of the Yakima-based trafficking enterprise. Orizaba-Zendejas was described as operating in a supporting role that included debt collection and enforcement. Both men are expected to be sentenced in federal court in San Diego later in 2026, following preparation of presentence reports and further court proceedings.

What the jury’s decision means legally

• The conspiracy conviction reflects the jury’s finding that Orizaba-Zendejas knowingly joined an agreement to distribute controlled substances.
• The firearm conviction requires a finding that the weapon possession furthered the drug trafficking crime, not merely that a firearm was present.
• Sentencing will be determined by the court under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, based on factors that can include drug quantities, role in the offense and relevant conduct.

The verdict concludes the trial phase, but the case will continue through sentencing and any post-trial motions or appellate litigation.