(The Center Square) – Authorities confirmed the arrest of Gabriel Calixto in Mexico for the 2023 murder of Emma Shafer in Springfield, Illinois. Surviving victim Katie O’Brien, who was previously attacked by Calixto, welcomed the news, calling it long-overdue justice after years of fear.

O’Brien said she first learned about the arrest when another reporter reached out while she was out shopping.

“I truly was stunned because I thought everyone was done looking for him,” she said. “It just kind of seemed like something that fell off the radar.”

Calixto’s conviction of kidnapping O’Brien was vacated in October 2020, and he was released after pleading to a lesser charge of unlawful restraint and time served. In 2021, he was arrested on a federal immigration charge and transferred to Immigra

See Full Page