Posted on 01/20/2007 11:21:53 PM PST by NormsRevenge
A Texas man wanted for more than 50 years in a fatal stabbing outside an Oakland restaurant has confessed to the killing after a routine background check tipped off investigators, police said.
Alfonso Del Rio, 77, fled back to his native Mexico in 1956 after he stabbed Juan Ontiveros, 23, during a fight, police said. He eventually moved to a small southern Texas border town, where he lived peacefully and raised a family over the next 50 years.
During a routine check to see if Social Security recipients had any outstanding warrants, the Social Security Administration discovered someone with Del Rio's name and birthday collecting benefits in Texas.
The agency notified Oakland police, who traveled to Texas in early January to interview Del Rio. He initially denied the killing but finally confessed, saying he had stabbed Ontiveros in self-defense, said Oakland police Sgt. Lou Cruz.
Alameda County prosecutors said they did not plan to pursue the case, which had been one of Oakland's oldest unsolved murders.
"The passage of time has greatly weakened the evidence we would be able to present against Mr. Del Rio," assistant district attorney Tom Rogers said Friday.
A confession with some corroborating evidence is usually a pretty good case.
Illegal immigrant living unknown in this country for 50 years after commiting murder here.
Nothing to see here, move along. - and make him a citizen.
Apparently not in this case. - Curious.
The odds are pretty good that he's been a citizen for decades
After that much time, and given the man's age and leading a crime-free life since, it's pointless to have the taxpayers foot the bill for a "retirement home" sentence and the medical care costs. If he's telling the truth and it's self-defense, then they're doing the right thing. If he's lying, the Lord will do the punishing soon enough.
Better late than never, I guess...
Even the police say it was during a fight, so, really, proving that it wasn't self-defense would be well-nigh impossible.
Even the police say it was during a fight, so, really, proving that it wasn't self-defense would be well-nigh impossible.
COP OUT!
This is something the Social Security Administration is supposed to do?
good question and catch.
"good question and catch."
Personally, I don't care which, nor how many agencies are utilized to find illegals.
Hasn't that been a big question .... how can you find 12 million, etc. ??
"Illegal immigrant living unknown in this country for 50 years after commiting murder here"
This was the story line in an Ugly Betty episode. Her Father confessed to killing their Mother's husband and then illegally entering the US. That was when I stopped watching it, that and a few hundred other reasons.
How much do you want to bet that if it was a retired white guy spending his last years on a golf course he would be in the Alemeda county jail this morning.
There is no statute of limitations on murder.
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