| Published: | Oct 31, 2012 5:00 PM EDT |
| Updated: | Oct 31, 2012 12:44 PM EDT |
LEE COUNTY, Fla.- More than four years after the brutal death of Tia Poklemba, the man believed responsible is back in Lee County to face justice.
Extradition proceedings were completed Tuesday night when 27-year-old Luis Gonzalez was booked into the Lee County Jail shortly before 10:00 p.m. Gonzalez was captured in Mexico after nearly four years on the run.
Working in conjunction with the Lee County Sheriff's Office Fugitive Warrants Unit, U.S. Federal Marshals arrested Luis Gonzalez on May 31, in El Pedernal, Mexico. The arrest culminates tireless efforts by detectives with the Lee County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit to bring Gonzalez to justice for the brutal death of 25-year-old Tia Poklemba.
Poklemba was discovered lying in the middle of a road in San Carlos Park in the early morning hours of August 8, 2008. Tips called in to Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers helped detectives zero in on Luis Gonzalez. Detectives were able to determine that Gonzalez met Poklemba at a nearby bar. Evidence at the scene showed that Poklemba had been run over twice by a car and left for dead. As investigators closed in on Gonzalez, he fled Southwest Florida to Mexico.
The case captured national attention and has been featured on America's Most Wanted three times. Each time, valuable tips were received. The most recent airing on the Lifetime TV Network in March generated the tip that pinpointed exactly where in Mexico Gonzalez was hiding. From there, the plan was put in motion to arrest Gonzalez.
Gonzalez faces charges of Leaving the Scene of a Crash Involving Death and Manslaughter with a Weapon, both First Degree Felonies.
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