"We were able to track him down and locate him in Waco, Texas," Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto said.
Fresno Police have searched for the 48-year-old since May of 2023 after they say he murdered a man in central Fresno.
Investigators say there was an argument between Rocha and 39-year-old Paul Fierro, then Rocha shot Fierro with a shotgun.
Someone found Fierro lying in the road outside his home near Lansing Way and Glenn Avenue.
He was taken to Community Regional Medical Center and died there.
Rocha didn't stick around Fresno long, according to investigators. At some point, he traveled more than 1,500 miles to the Lone Star State.
"He did have family in Texas. What we learned is he was able to avoid detection by using fake IDs along the way, and that's what made it so hard for us to track him down," Casto said. "He was working and living there in San Antonio. When it got hot there for him because of all the social media and Crime Stoppers campaign, he fled to Waco."
That social media campaign was run by both Valley Crime Stoppers and Crime Stoppers in Texas.
It led to the tip that detectives needed to find Rocha. The person who provided that critical information received a $3,000 reward, just one of many payouts this year.
"We've given out approximately $40,000 in rewards so far this year through Valley Crime Stoppers through anonymous tips leading to the arrests of suspects in various cases," Valley Crime Stoppers Executive Director Erica Magarian said.
Magarian says that among the more than 20 arrests Valley Crime Stoppers has helped in was another Fresno homicide suspect.
Aaminah Norman was taken into custody last month for the November 2023 shooting death of Adriana Gonzalez.
RELATED: Second arrest made in 2023 southwest Fresno murder; one suspect remains at large
Police are still looking for Sabrina Agosto-Ramirez in that case.
Tips leading to her arrest could garner a reward of up to $3,000.
Rocha is set to be brought back to Fresno on August 4 and booked into the Fresno County Jail. After that, he'll be arraigned on charges including murder.
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