Federal Officials Hold Man as Camarena Case Witness

A man believed to be a Texas resident is being held by federal authorities in Los Angeles as a “material witness” in the ongoing investigation of the February, 1985, murder of U.S. drug agent Enrique Camarena, The Times learned Monday.

Jesse Najir Zuno is scheduled to have a bail hearing Friday before U.S. District Judge Edward Rafeedie.

Najir Zuno is not related to Ruben Zuno Arce, a Mexican businessman, who is scheduled to go on trial Feb. 20 on charges he helped organize plans to kidnap and kill Camarena in Guadalajara, Mexico, nearly five years ago, according to James Blancarte, one of Zuno Arce’s defense lawyers. His client has pleaded not guilty and vigorously denied any involvement in the Camarena murder.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Manuel Medrano would say only that Najir Zuno was being held and added that he “is not a defendant” at this point. Neither Medrano, officials of the Drug Enforcement Agency nor defense lawyer David Reed of Beverly Hills would say where Najir Zuno was arrested, but another source close to the case said he had been taken into custody last week in El Paso.

Medrano said he could not say anything about Najir Zuno because government papers submitted to the court can be read only by Judge Rafeedie.

Defense lawyer Reed said he would not comment on anything regarding Najir Zuno, other than to say, “I’m very troubled and concerned that information about him being brought into court as a material witness was released.”

Thus far, 16 people have been indicted in Los Angeles in connection with the Camarena killing, which was recently the subject of an NBC television miniseries. Three men were convicted and sentenced to prison after a 1988 trial. Federal law enforcement authorities have said that there will be more indictments by Feb. 7, the fifth anniversary of the murder and the last date on which charges can be filed under the federal statute of limitations.