Three illegal aliens accused of murdering a teenager in Virginia are now in police custody and are currently detained in a Virginia jail.
The three Salvadorans that were charged by the prosecutor belong to the violent MS-13 street gang, and have been slapped with second-degree murder for their participation in the killing of 17-year-old Raymond Wood, Bedford County Sheriff Mike Brown announced Friday Afternoon.
The Roanoke Times reported that those arrested were identified as Victor Arnoldo Rodas, 19; Jose Coreas-Ventura, 21; and Lisandro Posada-Vasquez, 24, have been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday after they were initially detained by the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office.
All three are members of the notorious MS-13 street gang according to mayor Brown. The MS-13 gang is made up mostly of Central and South American immigrants where Salvadoran nationals or first-generation Salvadoran-Americans comprise the majority of the group.
Monday last week, a motorist reported a body in the middle of the road in Bedford County, Virginia at around 9:30 p.m. The victim was later identified as Raymond Wood.
While on the phone reporting the incident, the motorist noticed a Honda Accord speeding up. The motorist informed the 911 operator that the vehicle was traveling towards Route 221. An alert was made and Bedford County Sheriff’s deputies intercepted the vehicle minutes later.
Upon questioning, the deputy learned that the driver Victor Rodas, 19, was an illegal immigrant. Rodas was then transported and detained at the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office.
Tuesday afternoon, a citizen reported to the sheriff’s office that two Hispanics asked the person to make a phone call on their behalf in a “forest area.” After the call was made, the citizen reported that a sports car came and picked up the two Hispanics. The same vehicle came back after some time and picked up two more Hispanics in the forested area.
Deputies were able to stop the vehicle and upon further questioning were able to identify that the passengers in the vehicle were illegal immigrants which included Jose Coreas-Ventura. Deputies apprehended the men inside the vehicle.
Jose Corea-Ventura’s records also showed that he is also wanted for murder in Montgomery County, MD.
ICE immigration officers arrested Jose Corea-Ventura the same day.
Mayor Brown in a News Conference said that: “Due to the fact that the subjects were undocumented illegal aliens and not locals, an inordinate amount of time and man hours was required to ensure the true identity of these individuals.” He further adds: “Investigators had worked closely with the Bedford County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, Lynchburg Police Department, Bedford Police Department, Virginia State Police, FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshalls office, Prince George County Maryland Police Department, Montgomery County Maryland Police Department, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.”