Boyfriend of slain Dallas woman apprehended in Mexico

A man wanted in connection with the 2015 death of his ex-girlfriend is now back in North Texas.

Dallas police confirmed Faustino Valdez had been taken into custody by Mexican authorities on Wednesday. A warrant for his arrest had been issued in Dec. 2016.

Mexican authorities told FOX 4 Valdez, a U.S. citizen, was captured in Francisco Madero, Durango, where he was illegally working at a factory under a different name.

Espinosa disappeared in Dec. 2015 when she was on her way to work at a North Dallas hair salon. Her remains were found in March 2016 in a wooded area of southeast Dallas County along Dowdy Ferry Road.

Valdez fled the Dallas area sometime in early January 2016 after initially helping with the search for Espinosa. Valdez is the father of two children he had with Espinosa.

Espinosa's family believes Valdez was involved in her death.

"Her 3 beautiful kids, her sister her mother, us, her close family, will live without her," said Veronica Walls, Espinosa's aunt. "But not a moment she will not be in our hearts. We'll stand by and watch this whole process to make sure he is brought to justice."

"I want to thank everyone for their prayers... family, friends, coworkers, people who didn't even know Marisol. I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. And my kids, the DPD homicide unit, FBI and the Mexican police, I want to thank everyone. Thank you," said Rosemary Espinosa, her mother.

Valdez arrived back in Dallas early Friday morning. He's being held in the Lew Sterrett Justice Center on a $1 million bond.