The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force in Texas arrested Hernan Perez Juarez, also known as ‘Patricio Perez,’ on Monday, marking a significant step in the ongoing investigation into the 2020 murder of a woman in Georgetown. The suspect, a Mexican national, was charged with murder in connection to the brutal killing of a woman found dead in her bathtub with a deep cut in her lower abdomen. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Perez Juarez was deported in 2018 for an immigration violation and had no legal status in the United States at the time of the crime.
Perez Juarez allegedly reentered the United States illegally before the incident and was later found in Laredo, near the international border of Mexico, with his vehicle abandoned. The Georgetown Police Department obtained an arrest warrant for him in March 2022, but the case stalled due to his unknown whereabouts. However, an Austin-based task force recently learned that Perez Juarez had returned to the U.S. illegally, leading to his arrest in Temple, Texas. He was taken to the Williamson County Jail awaiting further judicial proceedings.
Following the arrest, ICE has filed an immigration detainer on Perez Juarez, indicating that he will be processed for potential deportation. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to inquiries about the case, but the arrest underscores the ongoing efforts to track down individuals who cross the border illegally and are linked to serious criminal activity.
This arrest highlights the complex interplay between immigration enforcement and criminal investigations. The case demonstrates how the U.S. Marshals and ICE work together to apprehend fugitives who return to the country illegally. The arrest of Perez Juarez not only brings closure to a violent crime but also serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges in managing immigration and border security.