DELTA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) — A man arrested earlier this month for suspected DUI in Delta County is also allegedly wanted for a 2022 murder in Arizona.
According to the Pinal County Attorney’s Office, Ismael Ortega-Hernandez, 35, was indicted Thursday by a grand jury for the November 2022 shooting death of his girlfriend. He allegedly shot her twice, killing her in front of her two children and younger sister, whose ages range from 4 to 12 years old.
Following the shooting, Ortega-Hernandez reportedly fled. Officials said he had previously been charged with domestic violence against the victim.
Nearly three years later, Ortega-Hernandez was arrested by the Delta County Sheriff’s Office for suspected DUI under a false name. His true identity was confirmed when his fingerprints matched existing records.
After his arrest, Ortega-Hernandez was being held in Colorado before U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intervened, as he had illegally reentered the country in 2021. He was transferred from a Colorado detention center to an ICE facility in Florence, Arizona, where Pinal County Sheriff’s detectives took him into custody to prevent deportation.
District Attorney Brad Miller praised the coordinated effort:
“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. 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.”
Ortega-Hernandez is currently being held on a $1 million cash bond and is scheduled for arraignment on September 8 in Pinal County Superior Court.
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Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
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