TODAY   |  October 09, 2012

Mexican authorities arrest suspect in tourist murder

Two years after American David Hartley was killed while jet-skiing on a lake that borders Mexico, the Mexican navy has announced the capture of an alleged Zetas field commander who is accused of numerous high-profile crimes, including Hartley’s death. TODAY’s Natalie Morales reports.

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This content comes from Closed Captioning that was broadcast along with this program.

>>> the mexican navy says it has captured a drug gang commander accused of new jersey rows high-profile crimes, including the possible murder of american tourist david hartley . it was two years ago when tiffany hartley last saw her husband david . they had gone jetskiing on a lake that borders mexico when david was shot and killed.

>> i was going back two years ago and feeling the same emotions and wondering is this going to be -- is this going to be it? am i finally going to get what i've been looking for?

>> reporter: tiffany says she was surprised by the news of the arrest of martinez, the so-called squirrel. she hopes the arrest leads to finding david 's body.

>> that's been our call ever since day one, you know, that david would be found and that his remains would be returned so we could, you know, honor him the way that he wanted to be, but as a family be able to find that closure.

>> reporter: on monday the mexican navy announced that they had arrested the drug leaders known as the squirrel. he was captured in mexico this weekend after a shootout with authorities and is suspected of multiple murders in northern mexico .

>> all we know is the mexico authorities have captured somebody, and they have him detained and who possibly had something to do with david 's murder and also the other murders along the border.

>> reporter: hartley says she has yet to hear from u.s. or mexican officials about the arrest.

>> we always have to be hopeful and that this will move forward to him being prosecuted, or david 's remains being found, finding some closure. there is comfort in that, knowing that david hasn't been forgotten.

>> authorities also suspect martinez was behind the 2010 slaying of 72 migrants as well as other killings and prison breaks in northern mexico .