An illegal migrant from Peru has been charged with murder in Eagle Pass, Texas, after a 40-year-old man from Houston, was found bludgeoned to death in the backyard of his home, according to the Maverick County Sheriff’s Office.
Roberto Emilio Vasquez-Santamaria, 64, was arrested in connection with a homicide that occurred on Monday. Vasquez-Santamaria had been released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after illegally crossing the southern border in May to a non-government shelter in Eagle Pass after providing a written promise to appear for court proceedings, according to several news outlets.
The location where the victim was discovered is connected to previous migrant smuggling incidents, although a motive for the murder has not yet been determined, according to anonymous law enforcement officials.
The Department of Homeland Security has faced criticism recently regarding its ability to effectively track migrants who are released into the United States. Official data shows that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have encountered nearly 2 million illegal migrants so far this year.