Man who killed wife in San Miguel is undocumented immigrant

October 1, 2026

Jose Joaquin Sevilla Ruiz

By KAREN VELIE

The man who allegedly shot and killed his wife at their home in San Miguel on Monday night is an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, according to a detainer from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

It’s estimated that 28% of people living in California are foreign born, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. The vast majority are living legally in California as documented immigrants or naturalized citizens.

While making up only 6% of the population, undocumented immigrants were allegedly involved in 75% of murders in San Luis Obispo County in 2025 and 2026, according to information from law enforcement.

Responding to calls of shots fired on Monday night, San Luis Obispo County sheriff deputies arrived at the home of 66-year-old Jose Joaquin Sevilla Ruiz and 60-year-old Reyna Espinosa. While Sevilla Ruiz had fled before deputies arrived, his wife was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

She died from her injuries.

Through their investigation, deputies learned the couple had quarreled before Sevilla Ruiz allegedly shot and killed his wife. He then fled SLO County, heading eastbound. Deputies tracked down and arrested Sevilla Ruiz in Wasco.

On Wednesday, the SLO County District Attorney’s Office charged Sevilla Ruiz with murder and an enhancement for use of a firearm.

Also on Wednesday, Homeland Security asked the SLO Sheriff’s Office to inform them at least 48 hours before they release Sevilla Ruiz. He is currently being held without bail.

In 2025 and 2026, eight people were involved in the murders of six Central California residents, not including vehicular deaths. None of the murder suspects are or were documented immigrants, two are U.S. citizens and six are undocumented immigrants.

For nine hours on May 10, 2025, a boy who had recently turned 6-years-old waited for his father Briant Reyes Estrada to return, locked in a car with the windows rolled up while outside temperatures reached 99 degrees. The child is dead, his mother now knows where her missing son is, and the father is facing a litany of charges including murder. Reyes Estrada is an undocumented immigrant.

The two brothers suspected in the Sept. 12. 2025 murder of a 50-year-old woman in SLO County are both undocumented immigrants. Alejandro SorianoOrtiz faces charges of murder and arson in connection with burning the victim’s vehicle, filing a false insurance claim, and forging a green card.

His brother, Celestino SorianoOrtiz, is charged with accessory to murder, arson of the victim’s vehicle, forging a green card, and possession of a controlled substance.

On the evening of Sept. 18, Fritz Schnoor broke into Joseph and Cynthia Giambalvo’s home, stabbed the husband and wife and then headed to another former neighbor’s home. Cynthia Giambalvo, 74, later died from her injuries. Schnoor is a U.S. citizen.

On Nov. 14, 2025, brothers Abel Santiago and Francisco Santiago drove a Santa Maria man to Highway 166 and Suey Creek Road and allegedly shot and killed him. Both men are undocumented immigrants. Abel Santiago is charged with murder, while his brother is on the run.

On Nov. 17, 2025, 24-year-old Emily Reilly and 28-year-old Owen Wesner died in a murder-suicide in Grover Beach. Both were U.S. citizens. It was not disclosed who was the killer.

The SLO County Sheriff’s Office does not enforce federal immigration law, does not conduct deportations, does not request immigration status, and does not conduct immigration sweeps.

Because of sanctuary state laws, jail staff is only able to hand inmates over to ICE agents who have been convicted of a qualifying offense such as murder, kidnapping, burglary, transporting a controlled substance, reentry by a deported alien, inflicting corporal injury, possession of explosives, and battery with serious injury.

Statistics regarding ICE requests to the SLO County Jail in 2024:

• ICE made 111 detainer requests from Sept. 2024 to Dec. 2024, none were complied with
• One federal warrant in 2024, one person turned over to U.S. Marshals

Statistics regarding ICE requests to the SLO County Jail in 2025:

• Ice made 287 detainer requests in 2025, 83 were complied with
• There were 19 federal warrants issued in 2025
• 69 inmates were released to ICE in 2025

Statistics regarding ICE requests to the SLO County Jail in 2026:

• Ice made 329 detainer requests in 2026, 87 were complied with
• There were five federal warrants issued in 2026
• 53 inmates were released to ICE in 2026

Photo by Jeff Specht

Inmates with federal warrants, generally for violent crimes, are handed over to ICE agents and not released. However, because of California sanctuary state laws, local law enforcement does not honor most ICE detainers.

ICE agents monitor jail logs for arrests and releases of undocumented immigrants with a history of deportations. On mornings when a criminal alien is being released, ICE agents wait in the lobby with plans to conduct an arrest.

Groups of protestors gather outside the SLO County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday mornings to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions at the jail. They have demeaned ICE agents while attempting to help criminal aliens avoid arrest.

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