Trump’s ICE program Captures Pinal Murder Suspect

Ortega-Hernandez reportedly shot Amador twice outside the city limits of Maricopa. Amador’s two young children and young sister were present at the time. Ortega-Hernandez fled the scene as a fugitive appearing on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s “Most Wanted” list as he remained mostly at large for years until a recent arrest for driving under the influence, under a false name, in Colorado.

Alleged Murderer

Ortega-Hernandez is not a citizen of the United States and is a citizen of Mexico, according to ICE.

According to the timelines of the alleged 2022 murder and federal court documents filed in Ortega-Hernandez’s immigration case, he was arrested by Pinal County Sheriff’s Office deputies before the murder, in 2021, when he was referred to ICE, but he was then released.

“I want to commend the outstanding work of the Pinal County Attorney’s Office, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, and our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to ensure this defendant was located, arrested and brought back to Arizona,” Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller said in a press release.

Ortega-Hernandez allegedly entered the country before a 2021 arrest by PCSO deputies in Florence on “local charges,” according to federal case documents pertaining to Ortega-Hernandez’s immigration case filed in the U.S. District Court of Arizona.

According to the complaint, “before an immigration detainer could be lodged with the PCJ (Pinal County jail) for Ortega-Hernandez, he was subsequently released to the community.” The complaint details the status of Ortega-Hernandez’s immigration case since the 2021 arrest and reveals that ICE agents surveilled a man who “closely resembled” Ortega-Hernandez at a residence in Phoenix in January of 2023. No further action was taken by ICE at that time.

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with ICE’s 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement agencies to hold detained undocumented immigrants. PCSO spokesperson Sam Salzwedel added that there are certain detention officers within the jail who are trained by ICE to handle such cases.

The complaint does not mention a warrant out for Ortega-Hernandez filed by the PCAO after the 2022 murder of Amador.

Ortega-Hernandez was then arrested earlier this month in Colorado, according to the PCAO release by spokesperson Beth Goulden. He was arrested under a false name for driving under the influence. Fingerprints matched his record, which confirmed his identity. Ortega-Hernandez was transferred from a detention facility in Colorado to an ICE detention center in Florence. From there, Ortega-Hernandez was transferred to PCSO custody to avoid deportation and hold him to face the murder charge in Pinal.

According to the federal complaint, Ortega-Hernandez had been deported before and had served time in federal prison. He was removed from the U.S. through Calexico, California, in September 2011. In May of 2011, he was convicted of conspiracy to possess and distribute marijuana in U.S. District Court in Arizona. He spent 13 months in federal prison.

Ortega-Hernandez is scheduled to appear for his arraignment on Sept. 8 at Pinal County Superior Court at 9 a.m. He is being held on a $1 million cash bond.

“This was an extremely complex case involving multiple agencies across state lines and coordination with federal authorities. Thanks to their persistence and dedication, we are one step closer to achieving justice for the victim, her children and our community,” Miller said.