Routine call nets “America’s Most Wanted’ fugitive

A routine home burglary call took an unusual twist this week when police found a suspect who was wanted for three murders.

Juan Javier Tapia, 24, who has been featured on the television show “America’s Most Wanted,” is being held without bail at the Gwinnett County jail.

“We are very proud to take a fugitive like this off the street,” Cpl. Darren Moloney said. “The officers did a great job.”

Tapia was arrested Sunday night when Miguel Arturo-Lopez of Norcross called police about 10:30 p.m. to report a prowler, according to Moloney.

Police arrived at the man’s apartment in the 2000 block of Gwinnett Station Circle and found the suspect passed out on Lopez’s sofa, Moloney said.

Lopez told police the suspect had broken into his apartment, ate all his food, drank all his alcohol, demanded $20,000 and then chased Lopez out of his own home.
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A background check revealed the suspect was wanted by several different police agencies.

Tapia is wanted by authorities in Illinois for two alleged murders, kidnapping and aggravated battery, Moloney said. Tapia also is a fugitive from Mexican police for an alleged knife homicide and child stealing, Moloney said.
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Tapia claimed his name was Henry Blas and gave officers a false Georgia identification card, police said.
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Amanda Mata, 24, is a college student and mother of a 3-year-old who owns the apartment where Tapia was arrested. She was shocked to learn about his checkered past. According to Mata, Tapia had been to the apartment on several occasions prior to his arrest. He was a cousin of one of three other roommates to whom Mata rents rooms.
Mata said Tapia’s cousin moved out about three months ago, but Tapia reportedly continued to drop by the apartment occasionally to see the other residents. On Sunday, the roommates tried to get Tapia to leave when they discovered he had crack cocaine, she said.
That’s when he became confrontational, Mata said, attempting to start a fight with one of them. The roommates snuck out when Tapia went into the bathroom and called police.
Tapia allegedly locked the door behind them, ate the crack rock and began destroying the apartment as they called 911, according to Mata. He then took off his shoes and socks and passed out on the couch before officers arrived, Mata said.
In retrospect, Mata believes it was strange that Tapia was born in the United States and is a legal resident, but he lived like an illegal day laborer sharing an apartment with others and taking whatever construction-related work he could solicit at a local gas station.
“Just the way he lived and he worked and stuff seemed kind of weird,” Mata said. “He seemed like a decent person, but just kind of strange, out of the ordinary.”
Tapia had apparently become adept at staying under the radar in other ways, too. Mata noticed on “America’s Most Wanted’s” Web site that he was described as having a tattoo of the name “Iliana” on his neck. The tattoo had since been altered to “Diana,” Mata said.