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Police: Accused murderer in U.S. illegally
MILTON
Fredil Omar Rodriquez-Fuentes is an illegal alien with an outstanding deportation order against him, Milton police learned Tuesday.
Mr. Fuentes, 23, is currently in Northumberland County Prison, awaiting a preliminary hearing on charges that he stabbed
Carly S. Snyder, 20, to death early Friday.
Det. Ken Royer of the Milton police said the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Services, told him that Mr. Fuentes is a Honduran citizen and is in this country illegally.
"Mr. Fuentes is officially awaiting deportation," Mr. Royer said.
Mr. Fuentes was deported in 2000 after he was picked up in Brownsville, Tex.,
r
Mr. Royer said he was told, and he returned to this country a second time.
"He
was ordered deported again, and he skipped his hearing," Mr. Royer said.
As far as Milton police have been able to determine, Mr. Fuentes has no criminal record in the United States. However, Todd Ulrich --another Milton officer working with Mr. Royer --said Mr. Fuentes' fingerprint record has not yet been returned by the FBI.
Mr. Fuentes was married to a Milton woman, Bobbi Rodriguez, about four years ago, police said, but that marriage does not alter his status as an illegal alien.
"The (former) INS is not responsive," Mr. Royer said. "In a criminal case, they will not do anything until after he has been tried, convicted and served his sentence. Then they will be waiting at the prison door."
"It's sad that it takes a tragedy like this to get action," Mr. Ulrich said. "If they had deported him, she might still be alive."
Mr. Royer and Mr
. U
lrich said they have continued to interview people who knew the victim, Ms. Snyder, and those who know Mr. Fuentes.
"We've done 20-pl
us interviews so far," Mr. Ulrich said, "and we have a dozen or more yet to do."
"Everyone we interview turns up three or four more people we need to interview," Mr. Royer said.
Both officers commented that everyone they've interviewed has been cooperative. They have conducted a number of interviews with Latino neighbors of Mr. Fuentes through an interpreter, as well as interviews with others in the neighborhood and friends and acquaintances of Ms. Snyder.
Police would not offer a possible motive for the crime, noting that laboratory results would confirm the motive.
"We've determined that the core of Mr. Fuentes' story is true," he continued. "It's the stuff on the edges that we have to try to piece together."
Mr. Royer and Mr. Ulrich debunked several rumors circulating in the co
mmunity
concerning the case.
They said they have been unable to establish any link between the victim and her killer. They also said no drugs were involved and there is no evidence that Mr. Fuentes was st
alking Ms. Snyder. The officers confirmed that Ms. Snyder had sustained numerous stab wounds, but they said a rumor that she had been stabbed more than 100 times was false.
"We've been in daily contact with the family," Mr. Royer said. "We're keeping them informed of everything we learn."
Mr. Fuentes is scheduled for a bail hearing at 1:15 p.m. today before Judge Robert Sacavage in the Northumberland County courthouse.
His preliminary hearing is set for 9 a.m. Thursday before District Judge William F. Kear. That hearing was moved from Mr. Kear's Front Street office to the borough building to accommodate the spectators anticipated and to provide better security, according to Mr. Royer.
Ms. Snyder's funeral is set for 5 p.m. today at the Shaw Funeral Ho
me, with vi
sitation from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
