'Illegal Alien' Released From Custody One Day Before Allegedly Stabbing Father of Two to Death
Prosecutors say the suspect was released one day earlier and now faces enhancements for killing during a burglary and using a knife.
- On Aug. 6, 68-year-old Todd Stewart was fatally stabbed during an attempted burglary in Martinez. Prosecutors allege 36-year-old Marcos Eduardo Iriarte-Valdez committed the murder just one day after a Contra Costa County judge released him.
- Iriarte-Valdez faced felony burglary charges in Orinda prior to the stabbing. A judge ordered his release on Aug. 5 despite his prior criminal record, triggering scrutiny of California's sanctuary policies.
- The Department of Homeland Security publicly identified Iriarte-Valdez as an "illegal alien" from Venezuela. Prosecutors charged him with murder and burglary, citing video evidence processed by the Sheriff's Office crime lab.
- Held without bail, Iriarte-Valdez pleaded not guilty on Aug. 12. ICE officials criticized California's sanctuary policies, arguing that cooperation could have prevented the release of criminal suspects into communities.
- A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 1 as federal officials continue advocating for stricter detainer policies. Homan asserted that sanctuary states complicate public safety efforts, suggesting similar incidents could occur in other jurisdictions.
18 Articles
18 Articles
Martinez Murder Suspect Was a Successful Engineer With Spanish Citizenship; Trump's DHS Says He Slipped Through Sanctuary Law
The Trump administration has chosen a particularly complicated and odd case to seize on in its neverending quest to villify California, sanctuary laws, and Governor Gavin Newsom.
Fox Highlights California Illegal Who Murdered After His ICE Detainer Was Ignored
In the past several days, a number of Fox News shows have informed viewers of how blue sanctuary states endanger their residents after an illegal alien from Venezuela murdered a California man after an ICE detainer was ignored. Fox also showed part of the surveillance video that actually recorded the murder.On Wednesday's Fox News @ Night, reporter Chanley Painter recounted for viewers that Marcos Iriarte-Valdez had been arrested twice for burgl…
Illegal immigrant charged with fatal stabbing of California retiree one day after judge released him
A 36-year-old Venezuelan illegal immigrant faces murder charges in the fatal stabbing of a 68-year-old retiree outside his Contra Costa County home, less than 24 hours after a California judge released him on his own recognizance. Marcos Iriarte-Valdez allegedly attacked Todd Stewart during a residential burglary on August 6, stabbing the older man outside his...
Illegal immigrant freed by Newsom-appointed judge day before deadly stabbing
Illegal immigrant freed by Newsom-appointed judge day before deadly stabbing | 13 Aug 2026 | Marcos Iriarte-Valdez, alternatively identified by DHS as Marcos Valdezusper, was arrested Friday at his home in Contra Costa County, California, after police said he stabbed and killed 68-year-old retiree Todd Stewart during an apparent burglary attempt. Iriarte-Valdez was “legally admitted” to the U.S. in 2007, according to information provided by ICE.…
California’s Sanctuary Policies Face Scrutiny After Jail Release Turns Deadly
A Venezuelan national who was released from a Northern California jail just one day before allegedly stabbing a 68-year-old retiree to death is reigniting criticism of the state’s sanctuary policies, after federal officials confirmed the suspect had an active immigration detainer at the time of his release. Todd Stewart, a 68-year-old retiree from Martinez, California, was killed in his own front yard, according to authorities, in what investiga…
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