The man accused of killing a four-month-old baby after learning he was not the biological father was deported from the United States five times, most recently in 2016.
The New York Post reports that the man identified in a previous CrimeOnline report as Jose Avila-Agurcia, gave a fake name to police when he was arrested, and his actual name is Carlos Zuniga-Aviles.
Aviles was arrested earlier this month on suspicion of murder after he allegedly beat Alexander Lizondro-Chacon to death upon learning he was not the boy’s biological father.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told Memphis-area news station WMC-5 that Zuniga-Aviles, a Honduran native, was deported five times beginning in 2010, and most recently in December 2016.
In a statement given to the news station on the suspect’s immigration status, ICE noted that he re-entered the United States illegally following deportation, which is a felony crime:
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has lodged an immigration detainer on unlawfully present Honduran national Carlos Zuniga-Aviles AKA Jose Avila-Agurcia following his arrest for murder in Shelby County, Tennessee. ICE will seek to take him into custody to reinstate his removal order following the resolution of the criminal charges he currently faces. Mr. Zuniga-Aviles has been removed from the U.S. five prior times; his most recent removal by ICE to Honduras took place in December 2016. Mr. Zuniga-Aviles subsequently illegally re-entered the U.S. after removal, which is a felony act under federal law.”
Zuniga-Aviles was arrested after the baby’s mother told police he admitted to hitting the baby multiple times on the head.
The suspect is being held without bond in Shelby County Jail in Tennessee. The District Attorney told WMC-5 that his criminal case will be processed before deportation proceedings begin. Zuniga-Alves is due back in court next week.