Suspect says he was in Mexico "to have a good time."

Murder suspect Michael Paul Astorga, in a jailhouse interview from Ciudad Juarez just aired on KOB-TV, denied even knowing that police were after him in connection with the March 22 slaying of Bernalillo County sheriff's deputy James McGrane Jr.

When the interviewer asked Astorga if he knew about the killing of McGrane and the proliferation of wanted posters throughout the Albuquerque area, Astorga said, "What? No!"

The interviewer, who spoke both Spanish and English with Astorga, asked the fugitive whether New Mexico authorities may have been "confused."

"That's a strong possibility. I didn't do nothing," Astorga said. "I just come over here to have a good time."

An unidentified man who said he was from New Mexico also was on camera and said he met Astorga in Juarez, according to the interview shown on KOB-TV.

It is unknown at this time whether the man was arrested with Astorga around 2:45 a.m. today.

Also unclear was whether there would be any difficulty in extraditing Astorga from Mexico.

(1:15pm UPDATE: FBI spokesman Bill Elwell said Mexican authorities could go through the extradition process or simply deport Astorga, according to The Associated Press. The Mexican government could simply say, "We don't want him here, we're going to expel him, meet us at the bridge and we're going to hand him over," Elwell told the AP.)

Mexico in the past has refused to extradite anyone to the United States when they might be facing the death penalty.

New Mexico is a death-penalty state, and one of the crimes making a defendant eligible for the death penalty is the killing of a peace officer in the line of duty.

7:45am -- Investigation `Just Beginning': Michael Astorga's run for the border foiled in Juarez.

A tired but determined Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White praised "good police work, good teamwork" in today's early-morning capture of suspected killer Michael Paul Astorga in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

White said it wasn't one tip that led lawmen to Astorga, who is wanted in connection with the March 22 shooting death of Deputy James McGrane Jr. as well as the November 2005 killing of an Albuquerque man, but from information received Saturday at the manhunt's command center in Albuquerque.

"Detectives started working leads from many different angles" on Saturday, leading to a call made last night around 11 p.m. to Mexican authorities in Juarez, White said.

Local lawmen got the word from Juarez around 2:45 a.m. today that Astorga had been take into custody without incident, White said.

It is still unknown how Astorga got to the Mexican border city or how long he had been there, said White, who said that's just one of many questions that remain to be answered in an investigation that is "just beginning," said White.

El Paso/Las Cruces television station KFOX-TV reported around 8 p.m. Sunday that Astorga may have been in the El Paso area, but White said he didn't know how that information may have circulated. Even though the Journal reported this morning that the 100 or so tips generated by "America's Most Wanted" -- some 1,000 tips since the manhunt began -- appeared to point toward Astorga remaining in the Albuquerque metropolitan area, that may have been some misdirection.

"We had our suspicions on Saturday afternoon" where Astorga may have gone, White told ABQjournal.com this morning.

Also unclear is when Astorga may be returned to New Mexico, but White said a liaison with the Federal Bureau of Investigation is now in Juarez working with Mexican officials on "all the documentation we need to expedite (Astorga's) return."

(9:25am UPDATE: Bernalillo County Undersheriff Sal Baragiola told the El Paso Times this morning (in a story just posted on the Times' Web site) that the sheriff's department has had a team of detectives working in El Paso since Saturday and that the El Paso Police Department and El Paso County Sheriff's Department have provided support.

As to when Astorga might be returned to New Mexico, Baragiola told the El Paso Times: "We anticipate that the extradition will take at least a few days if there's no stumbling blocks.")

In the past, Mexican officials have been reluctant to extradite fugitives from the United States who may be facing the death penalty -- which Astorga almost certainly will face. But it is unclear whether that will be a factor in this case.

More than 200 lawmen from numerous agencies have been working around the clock in the 12 days since the 38-year-old McGrane was gunned down during what appeared to be a routine traffic stop in Tijeras.

Federal, state and local agencies were involved in the hunt for Astorga, who is also being sought in last year's slaying of Candido Martinez Jr., 27, of Albuquerque.

"And in the end we got a little international help," said White. "We're very grateful."

White expressed relief that Astorga was finally in custody, saying, "I was very worried about the potential for violence."

White earlier said that the segment on the "America's Most Wanted" television show on Saturday was "most helpful," The Associated Press reported. Astorga also made the FBI's Top 10 Most Wanted list on Saturday, and a reward for information leading to his capture had jumped to $130,000.

But it was uncertain this morning whether anyone would be eligible for that reward.

5:30am -- Astorga Caught: 12-day manhunt ends with overnight arrest in Mexico.

Michael Paul Astorga, 29, the suspect in the shooting death of Bernalillo County sheriff's deputy James McGrane Jr., was taken into custody without incident by Mexican officials in Ciudad Juarez, Sheriff Darren White announced at a news conference just minutes ago.

Officials were notified that Astorga was in custody around 2:45 a.m., White told reporters.

Tom McClenaghan, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's special agent in charge for New Mexico, tells KOAT-TV that Mexican officials learned of Astorga's whereabouts around 11 a.m. last night and that FBI agents are in El Paso now arranging for Astorga's transfer back to New Mexico. Local detectives are also on scene in El Paso, White told reporters, according to a story just moved by The Associated Press.

Details to follow as they become available.

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