Prosecutors say the suspect is living in Nepal; no extradition treaty complicates efforts despite an active international notice.
HOUSTON, TX — Families of three girls killed in a 2010 Houston crash urged action Friday to return the accused drunk driver to Texas, saying he fled to Nepal before charges were filed and has lived freely abroad ever since.
Relatives gathered with Crime Stoppers of Houston and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office to spotlight the unsolved case and the man they say is responsible. Prosecutors say the suspect faces multiple counts, including intoxication manslaughter, but remains outside U.S. custody. Officials said an international notice seeking his arrest is still active, while the lack of a formal extradition treaty with Nepal has slowed progress. The renewed plea comes 15 years after the wreck, with families describing milestones missed and an open wound that has not healed.
Investigators say the crash happened July 19, 2010, along the East Freeway. Roshanda Raleigh, 17, and two 13-year-olds, Avianca Cortez and Detrihanna Davis, were riding in a Ford SUV when a Toyota ran a red light and slammed into them. Raleigh and Cortez died at the scene; Davis died later at a hospital. A fourth teen survived the collision but died by suicide a month later, relatives said. Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, who responded the night of the wreck as a young prosecutor, said the accused driver “fled like a coward” before authorities could move to arrest him. “We know where he is,” Teare said, calling for action to bring the defendant back to stand trial.
Prosecutors say the man was legally drunk, based on blood testing conducted after the crash, and that he later left the United States for Nepal. Officials reiterated that an international alert remains in effect and that Nepalese authorities are aware of the case. Crime Stoppers’ victims services director, Andy Kahan, said the group is not seeking tips because investigators know the suspect’s location. “He has been living free in his native Nepal longer than these girls lived on this planet,” Kahan said. Families named the victims and described their lives, noting school events, birthdays and graduations that never came. Relatives also said they were told the man faces three intoxication manslaughter counts and three manslaughter counts in Harris County.
Records and prior statements from local officials show the case has been complicated from the start. Police at the scene did not take the driver into custody that night after field sobriety results were inconclusive, and a mandatory blood draw later showed intoxication, according to relatives and prosecutors. By the time the results were in and charges were readied, the defendant had already left the country. Unlike nations with long-standing extradition agreements, Nepal has no formal extradition treaty with the United States, which can slow transfers even when governments cooperate. The district attorney’s office has kept the file open as a vehicular-crimes priority, officials said.
Teare said his office is pursuing every available avenue, from international notices to direct requests through diplomatic channels. Officials did not announce a hearing or timeline but said the goal is unchanged: return the defendant to Houston to face the pending charges before a judge and jury. Families and advocates said they will continue meeting with federal lawmakers and consular officials in the coming weeks. Crime Stoppers said the campaign is meant to increase public and political pressure, not replace law enforcement work.
Relatives offered brief, emotional remarks. “Instead of school dances, graduations and weddings, I had to prepare my sister for her funeral,” said Roxanne Cortez, whose sister Avianca died in the crash. “That heartbreak does not fade.” Another mother, Toshiya Turner, asked why other fugitives have been returned while this case remains stalled. “I want the same justice for my baby,” Turner said. “Bring him back.” As the gathering ended, Kahan stood with families near photos of the girls, saying their stories would not be forgotten.
As of Sunday, the suspect remains outside U.S. custody and is believed to be in Nepal, according to prosecutors. Officials said the international notice is active, and families plan additional outreach after this week’s news conference. No court date has been set.
Author note: Last updated January 18, 2026.