Fugitive Accused in 2023 Springfield Murder Captured in Mexico

Authorities announced that Gabriel P. Calixto, a fugitive wanted in connection with the 2023 murder of 24-year-old Springfield resident Emma Shafer, has been taken into custody in Mexico.

The arrest was confirmed by Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser, the Springfield Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Calixto had been sought since July 11, 2023, when Springfield police officers responded to a residence in the 1000 block of South 8th Street and discovered Shafer deceased. A Sangamon County Grand Jury later indicted Calixto on three counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated domestic battery.

Law enforcement officials credited the successful capture to cooperation among multiple agencies. In addition to the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office, Springfield Police, and U.S. Marshals Service, support came from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central and Southern Districts of Illinois.

Extradition proceedings are now being coordinated between Sangamon County prosecutors and federal authorities. Officials stated that no further information will be released at this time.