U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force in Texas arrested Hernan Perez Juarez, a Mexican national accused of murdering a woman in Georgetown, Texas, in 2020. The arrest occurred nearly four years after the suspect was previously deported for immigration violations. Perez Juarez is now facing murder charges for the May 8, 2020, killing of a woman whose body was found in her bathtub with a deep cut in her lower abdomen.
Perez Juarez, also known as ‘Patricio Perez’ and aged 41, was deported in 2018 for an immigration violation and had no legal status in the U.S. Following this, he allegedly re-entered the country illegally before the crime and was later found with an abandoned vehicle near the U.S.-Mexico border. The U.S. Marshals stated that the vehicle was discovered in Laredo, which is close to the international border of Mexico.
The Georgetown Police Department obtained an arrest warrant for Perez Juarez in March 2022, but the case stalled due to his absence. It was only recently that an Austin-based task force learned of his return to the U.S. illegally, leading to his arrest in Temple, Texas. He was taken to the Williamson County Jail where he awaits further judicial proceedings, with an immigration detainer filed by ICE following any potential legal outcomes.
The Department of Homeland Security did not provide immediate comments on the case, while ongoing investigations continue into the circumstances of the murder and the suspect’s illegal re-entry into the United States. This case highlights the complexities and challenges associated with cross-border criminal activities and the enforcement of immigration laws, underscoring the need for improved tracking and surveillance mechanisms as well as stronger measures to prevent recidivist crimes and ensure public safety.