Federal immigration authorities said they lodged a detainer for the Salvadoran man accused of gunning down a 71-year-old military veteran at his Utah home this year.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement said they’re looking to arrest Axel Eduardo Chavez-Marroquin, who entered the country illegally in 2021 and was charged with murder in the killing of James Randell Witten.
“This monster is charged with murdering a 71-year-old Army and Air Force veteran in Utah. California sanctuary politicians released this criminal from jail twice after arrests for domestic violence,” Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement.
Local police said Witten was hanging porch decorations outside his West Point, Utah, home on May 30 when a maroon Honda Civic drove up.
Police said a gunman emerged from the vehicle and opened fire on Witten as he was facing away from the street. The suspect got back in the car and sped away.
Authorities said they used surveillance footage to identify the getaway car, which was found June 16 in Las Vegas with Chavez-Marroquin inside.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police arrested the suspect on the spot and charged him with murder with a dangerous weapon, discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, dangerous weapon conduct by a restricted person and obstruction of justice.
ICE lodged a detainer for Chavez-Marroquin after he was arrested. He remains in custody in Davis County, Utah.
The Department of Homeland Security said Chavez-Marroquin was convicted of domestic violence in Santa Ana, California, in 2024 and had another domestic violence arrest in that state a year later. DHS said it lodged detainers for the suspect after both arrests, and both times local police did not honor the request.
“This illegal alien should’ve never been allowed on our streets, and James Witten should still be alive today,” Ms. Bis said. “ICE is now asking officials in Utah to commit to not releasing this criminal from jail and to work with ICE so that we can remove him from our country. Reckless sanctuary policies in states like California are putting American lives at risk.”
