An 18-year-old man wanted in connection with the deadly mugging last month near the mouth of downtown Tucson’s rattlesnake bridge has been arrested by U.S. Marshals.

Shortly after the fatal shooting, Tucson police obtained an arrest warrant for Joseph Anthony Santos.

The Marshals Service learned that Santos fled to the Tohono O'odham Nation to avoid arrest. With the assistance of tribal police, he was located in the San Xavier District and arrested on an unrelated tribal arrest warrant, the release said.

Santos was booked into the Tohono O'odham Tribal Adult Detention Center and is awaiting extradition to the Pima County jail in connection with the killing, a news release says.

Nicholas Encalade, 53, was shot and killed Oct. 12, when he and a companion were confronted while walking near the the bridge in Iron Horse Park, 75 N. First Avenue., Tucson police say.

The pair was robbed before one of the muggers shot Encalade.

About 15 minutes later, police were called to the area of Fourth Avenue and Ninth Street, where they found a man who had been shot. Detectives later said that man was suspected in the robbery. Police have not made his identity public.


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Contact reporter Caitlin Schmidt at cschmidt@tucson.com or 573-4191