WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Representative Ted Budd (R-NC) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas seeking more information on the death of Wake County Deputy Sheriff Ned Byrd, who was killed in the line of duty on August 11. Five days later, brothers Arturo Marin-Sotelo and Alder Alfonso Marin-Sotelo were taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder in the brutal death of Deputy Byrd. On August 24, their brother, Rolando Marin-Sotelo, was charged with a firearm crime. 

“Based on public reporting, we have reason to believe that one or more of the Marin-Sotelo brothers may be in the country illegally. This raises significant questions about how they entered the country, why they were able to remain in the United States, and whether robust immigration enforcement would have apprehended them sooner and prevented the death of Deputy Byrd,” wrote Tillis and Budd.

“In light of the serious nature of this matter, we request that you transmit to our offices the alien files and all relevant and pertinent information for the following individuals: Arturo Marin-Sotelo, Alder Alfonso Marin-Sotelo, and Rolando Marin-Sotelo,” Tillis and Budd continued. “We are deeply concerned by the public reporting by local news media that is currently available about these individuals. We look forward to your swift response to our concerns as we seek answers for why this heinous crime was committed and whether it could have been prevented by immigration enforcement.”

Read the full letter here.

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