Authorities say the suspect, who was arrested and charged in the stabbing death of a Virginia man discovered bleeding from the neck inside a stranger’s home, is in the country illegally.
ICE confirms suspect in Virginia stabbing is in U.S. illegally
This Article Includes
“Jose Velasquez-Martinez, 27, is an illegally present Salvadoran national,” a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson told FOX 5. “He illegally entered the United States on an unknown date in 2011, at an unknown location, and without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.”
According to police, Joette Breeden arrived at her home on John Marshall Parkway in Fauquier County shortly before 10 p.m. on March 27 to find a man inside with stab wounds to the neck. The man, Brandon Probst, 29, of Stuarts Draft, Virginia, later died.
“I think there’s a lot of illegal immigrants here. I think some are here honestly trying to make a better life for themselves, but unfortunately, among those there are people like this that we come across,” said Breeden to FOX 5 DC’s Shomari Stone.
Fatal altercation leads to murder charge
A few days later, officers arrested Velasquez-Martinez and charged him with murder. According to court filings, the two males were in an altercation outside the home when Velasquez-Martinez stabbed and cut Probst in the neck.
A resident eventually discovered Probst inside the house and contacted 911. Probst and the resident did not know one another.
Following Velasquez-Martinez’s arrest, ICE agents filed an immigration detainer with the Fauquier County Jail, according to the spokeswoman.
This is a developing story.