Nipomo murder suspect turned over to ICE after DA drops charges
July 6, 2017
A 24-year-old man who was accused of murdering his girlfriend in Nipomo less than a year after he was deported to Mexico was released from San Luis Obispo County Jail on Wednesday after local prosecutors dropped their case against him. However, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials took custody of Julio Cesar Alonso, and he is now facing illegal immigration charges.
On May 31, Alonso’s girlfriend Paulina Ramirez-Diaz was found stabbed to death at a home the couple shared with Ramirez-Diaz’s parents. Shortly afterwards, SLO County sheriff’s deputies arrested Alonso for the murder.
Following Alonso’ arrest, it was discovered that he had been deported to Mexico in August 2016. At the time, The Desert Sun featured him in an article about deportation.
Last month, the SLO County District Attorney’s Office charged Alonso with murder, and he appeared in court where he pleaded not guilty. But on Wednesday, the DA’s Office announced in a statement that it was dropping the criminal complaint against Alonso due to lack of evidence.
“Considering the current state of the evidence, along with our burden of proof, ‘beyond a reasonable doubt,’ we are unable to proceed with prosecution at this time,” Assistant District Attorney Lee Cunningham said. “We are unable to comment further, as the case remains an open investigation.”
Prosecutors could still refile murder charges if they uncover new evidence.
Now, federal authorities are prosecuting Alonso for reentering the United States after being deported. Alonso faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison in his current immigration case.
Alonso has a criminal record that includes multiple felony convictions. In 2014, Alonso began serving a four-year sentence for evading or attempting to evade a peace officer while driving recklessly, as well as for possession of a controlled substance, burglary, vandalism and driving under the influence causing bodily harm. Alonso was convicted of each of the crimes in Santa Barbara County.
The comments below represent the opinion of the writer and do not represent the views or policies of CalCoastNews.com. Please address the Policies, events and arguments, not the person. Constructive debate is good; mockery, taunting, and name calling is not. Comment Guidelines