Local
3 suspects in Wheaton slaying are illegal aliens, official says
By: Freeman Klopott
Examiner Staff Writer
December 4, 2008
The three people accused of murdering and then burning the body of an 83-year-old Wheaton woman last week are illegal immigrants, a Montgomery County jail official said Wednesday.
Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents issued warrants for Ramon Alvarado, Jose Alvarado and Ana Rodas on Wednesday afternoon, jail director Arthur Wallenstein said.
Wallenstein said that half of the 16 jail inmates accused of murder are illegal immigrants.
Cousins Jose and Ramon Alvarado were in jail in connection with the beating death of Lila Meizel. Police say the cousins lighted the woman’s body on fire to cover up a check fraud scheme. Rodas allegedly helped the two kill Meizel.
Both Alvarado cousins had prior criminal records in Montgomery County. Jose, 37, for check fraud and Ramon, 32, for driving a car without a license or registration, court records show. Rodas, 32, has no criminal history.
The recent spate of high-profile killings allegedly committed by illegal immigrants who had criminal histories has county officials re-examining the policy of not checking the immigration status of people the county detains, said Montgomery County executive spokesman Patrick Lacefield.
County Councilman George Leventhal said Police Chief Thomas Manger is reviewing the circumstances of how an illegal immigrant and MS-13 member accused of murdering a 14-year-old Silver Spring boy was released from custody just weeks before he allegedly shot Tai Lam to death on a county bus Nov. 1.
In October, Hector Mauricio Hernandez, 20, was arrested on a concealed weapons charge, but there was no federal immigration warrant for him at the time, so he was released, county officials said.
Leventhal said any policy change would come from the police department or the state’s attorney’s office and it likely would be limited to the county’s handling of immigrants accused of violent crimes or weapons offenses.
State’s Attorney John McCarthy said it was premature to comment on any policy changes and a police department spokesman declined to comment.
The prior charges against the Alvarado cousins wouldn’t have merited a immigration status check under the policy change being considered.
The check fraud charges against Jose Alvarado were dropped when he paid back the business he ripped off, a state’s attorney spokesman said. Ramon Alvarado skipped a court date Nov. 7 and had a warrant out for his arrest for driving offenses when he was taken into custody for the slaying late last week, court records show.
Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents issued warrants for Ramon Alvarado, Jose Alvarado and Ana Rodas on Wednesday afternoon, jail director Arthur Wallenstein said.
Wallenstein said that half of the 16 jail inmates accused of murder are illegal immigrants.
Cousins Jose and Ramon Alvarado were in jail in connection with the beating death of Lila Meizel. Police say the cousins lighted the woman’s body on fire to cover up a check fraud scheme. Rodas allegedly helped the two kill Meizel.
Both Alvarado cousins had prior criminal records in Montgomery County. Jose, 37, for check fraud and Ramon, 32, for driving a car without a license or registration, court records show. Rodas, 32, has no criminal history.
The recent spate of high-profile killings allegedly committed by illegal immigrants who had criminal histories has county officials re-examining the policy of not checking the immigration status of people the county detains, said Montgomery County executive spokesman Patrick Lacefield.
County Councilman George Leventhal said Police Chief Thomas Manger is reviewing the circumstances of how an illegal immigrant and MS-13 member accused of murdering a 14-year-old Silver Spring boy was released from custody just weeks before he allegedly shot Tai Lam to death on a county bus Nov. 1.
In October, Hector Mauricio Hernandez, 20, was arrested on a concealed weapons charge, but there was no federal immigration warrant for him at the time, so he was released, county officials said.
Leventhal said any policy change would come from the police department or the state’s attorney’s office and it likely would be limited to the county’s handling of immigrants accused of violent crimes or weapons offenses.
State’s Attorney John McCarthy said it was premature to comment on any policy changes and a police department spokesman declined to comment.
The prior charges against the Alvarado cousins wouldn’t have merited a immigration status check under the policy change being considered.
The check fraud charges against Jose Alvarado were dropped when he paid back the business he ripped off, a state’s attorney spokesman said. Ramon Alvarado skipped a court date Nov. 7 and had a warrant out for his arrest for driving offenses when he was taken into custody for the slaying late last week, court records show.
