They were sighted in the Medford, Oregon area in December 2004. On May 11, 2005, a state warrant was issued by the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, for Benitez's arrest after he was charged with murder. Benitez was charged federally with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution and an arrest warrant was issued by the United States District Court, Central District of California, on March 21, 2006. The FBI was offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the arrest of Benitez. He was featured on America's Most Wanted several times. El Monte restaurant standoff and death On December 23, 2008, police received a call about a suspicious man with a child. A police officer and witnesses noticed a man taking a boy off the sidewalk and then go into a restaurant in El Monte, California. Soon after that, a hostage standoff ensued and Benitez ignored the officers' orders to stop and barricaded himself inside the restaurant bathroom with his son. Benitez told police during negotiations that he was going to shoot police and harm his seven-year-old son whom he held hostage for two hours. One employee of a nearby Mexican restaurant said Benitez had the boy in a headlock and held a gun to his head as he sought a place to hold him. Police closed nearby streets, and shoppers were evacuated from neighboring stores as dozens of police officers and other emergency crews surrounded the restaurant. Police threw a flash-bang grenade inside and exchanged gunfire with Benitez, killing him. Benitez was declared dead at a Chinese restaurant in an El Monte strip mall. His son was shot in the thigh but survived. Benitez was later found to have a semi-automatic pistol and a revolver. Alina Elizabeth Velasco has not been located. References External links Transcript of CNN Larry King Live interview with John Walsh, aired October 1, 2004 – 21:00 ET, includes discussion of the Manuel Benitez case. 1969 births 2008 deaths American male child actors American murderers American kidnappers American male film actors American male television actors American drug traffickers Criminals from California Deaths by firearm in California Male actors from Florida Latino people shot dead by law enforcement officers in the United States Actors from Coral Gables, Florida 20th-century American male actors