Ethan Couch, who killed four people in a 2013 DUI and tried to use “affluenza” as a defense, has been captured in Mexico after a huge manhunt.
The media dubbed Ethan Couch “Affluenza Teen” two years ago, but to authorities, he was known as a fugitive from justice until yesterday.
Couch’s lawyers claimed that his wealthy parents protected him from facing the consequences of destructive actions in his young life.
Therefore, the parents should share the blame for his fatal DUI, they argued after Couch, then 16, killed four people while driving drunk.
However, since he was underage at the time, he was classified as a juvenile and sentenced to 10 years of probation and a stint in rehab.
The teen’s disappearance from the U.S. was discovered in early December 2015 after he skipped a meeting with his probation officer.
A warrant was then issued for Ethan’s arrest.
It is widely believed that Ethan and his mom fled the U.S. after a video circulated of Ethan at a party with booze, a violation of his probation.
Ethan could have faced up to 10 years behind bars if his probation was revoked, but fleeing the country likely makes that a moot point.
After cooperating with the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico, officials were able to locate Couch in the resort town of Puerto Vallarta.
An international manhunt was underway with prosecutors offering a substantial reward for any information resulting in Couch’s arrest.