Midwest
Illegal immigrant who fled US after 2016 death of Sarah Root is extradited 'to face justice once and for all'
A Honduran man accused of killing an Iowa woman in 2016 while driving drunk in Nebraska was extradited to the United States on Friday after he fled the United States following his release on bond.
Eswin Mejia was arrested Thursday in Honduras and put on a plane to the U.S. to face justice for the death of 21-year-old Sarah Root, the State Department said.
“Nine years ago, Sarah was tragically killed by an illegal immigrant who later fled our county,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X. “Today, the Trump Administration is announcing the extradition of Sarah’s killer from Honduras to the United States to face justice once and for all.”
BLUE SANCTUARY STATE OPERATING AS ‘CONTROL’ CENTER FOR VICIOUS MIGRANT GANG: ACTING DEA CHIEF
Eswin Mejia is pictured handcuffed on a plane on his way back to the United States. (Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem )
Mejia, who was living in the U.S. illegally, was allegedly driving drunk when he crashed into Root’s vehicle at a stoplight in Omaha, Neb., in January 2016. She later died at a hospital.
Mejia was detained and charged, but fled the country after being released on bond. He was later added to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “Most Wanted” list.
At the time of his arrest, ICE said that Mejia was not an “enforcement priority.”
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa., praised news of the arrest.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE
Authorities pictured in Honduras. (Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem)
“The Trump administration never forgot Sarah Root’s story,” she wrote on social media. Together, we fought for justice to hold the illegal immigrant who took her life accountable. Iowans and every American know that this administration will always put our citizens first.”
Border agents first encountered Mejia in May 2013 when he arrived in Nogales, Ariz., and was designated as an unaccompanied child, according to an ICE response letter to Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb, at the time. “As required by law,” Mejia was transferred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which then shipped him to Omaha in 2014 to live with his brother.
After his January 2016 arrest for motor vehicle homicide, ICE officials “encountered Mr. Mejia just once,” but they did not file a detainer.
In February, Honduras reached an agreement with the United States to continue a century-old extradition treaty. The agreement came amid tension between both governments after officials expressed concerns over a meeting between Honduran officials and Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, who faces drug trafficking charges in the U.S.
Read the full article from Here
Zach Pluhacek has been appointed as the new inspector general of the Nebraska Correctional System.
Pluhacek replaces former Inspector General Doug Koebernick, who resigned to work for the legislative audit office.
The office of inspector general for corrections was created in 2015 following a scandal involving the early release of some prisoners and a killing spree by released prisoner Nikko Jenkins.
Its duties include conducting investigations, audits, inspections, and other oversight of the Nebraska correctional system for the Legislature.
Pluhacek has worked for the office of inspector general since 2020. Before that he was as a legislative aide after working as a reporter and editor for the Lincoln Journal Star.
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) -A North Dakota woman is facing a federal involuntary manslaughter charge after a deadly crash on an American Indian reservation last fall.
A federal grand jury indicted Brittany Renne Laverdure on April 22, 2026, accusing her of killing a person while driving under the influence of multiple substances on or about Sept. 21, 2025, in Indian country in North Dakota.
Because the incident occurred in Indian country, the case falls under federal jurisdiction, specifically under 18 U.S.C. § 1153, which gives the federal government authority to prosecute certain crimes committed by Native Americans on tribal lands. The indictment identifies Laverdure as an Indian under that statute.
According to the indictment, Laverdure acted with “wanton and reckless disregard for human life amounting to gross negligence.” Prosecutors say she attempted to make a U-turn and pulled into oncoming traffic while impaired, without due care for the safety of others.
The victim’s name is not being reported at this time and court documents did not provide any further details on the incident.
An arrest warrant was issued April 23, 2026 and a special agent with the FBI arrested Laverdure on April 28, 2026, in Grand Forks.
Laverdure is scheduled to stand trial June 23, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Peter D. Welte in Fargo. The trial is expected to last four days.
Involuntary manslaughter under federal law carries a maximum sentence of eight years in prison.
Copyright 2026 KVLY. All rights reserved.
HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A 32-year-old Ohio man is dead and two others are fighting for their lives after a crash on Route 5 in Henrico County Monday morning.
According to police, officers with the Henrico County Police Division and crews with Henrico County Division of Fire were called to Route 5 near New Market Heights Lane at around 6:15 a.m. on Monday, May 4, for a reported two-vehicle crash.
When officers arrived, they found a red Mini Cooper that crashed into a Chevrolet Express van.
Two men in the van were taken to a local hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries, according to police.
Thirty-two-year-old Layten Perkins of Ohio, the driver and only person in the Mini Cooper, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said a preliminary investigation indicates that the Mini Cooper, driven by Perkins, was headed west on Route 5 when he crossed the center line and hit the Chevrolet heading eastbound head-on.
The road was closed for about four hours, before it reopened at 10:21 a.m., police said.
Alcohol is not considered a factor in the crash, but Crash Team Investigators continue to look into the circumstances surrounding this crash.
Anyone with further information regarding this incident is asked to contact Officer C. Bolinger at 804-501-5000. You may also submit tips anonymously via Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000 or by using P3tips.com.
-
Montana2 minutes agoMontana days grow longer throughout May
-
Nebraska8 minutes agoNebraska Correctional System names inspector general
-
Nevada14 minutes agoNevada, California, Arizona propose water plan pushing cuts to 20%
-
New Hampshire20 minutes agoNH medical marijuana program added 2,100 new patients last year – Monadnock Ledger-Transcript
-
New Jersey27 minutes agoThe PATH fare hike just took effect: it’ll now cost you $3.25 to take the train to New Jersey
-
New Mexico32 minutes agoNew Mexico’s proposed kids safety fixes for Instagram, Facebook may go too far, judge warns
-
North Carolina38 minutes agoOverturned transfer truck shuts down I-85 North exit ramp in Gaston County
-
North Dakota45 minutes agoGrand Jury indicts North Dakota woman in fatal DUI crash on Reservation