ICE lodges detainer for illegal immigrant charged with murder in Oklahoma
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FIRST ON FOX: Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have requested detention for an illegal immigrant accused of murder in Oklahoma after he allegedly strangled his wife to death and dumped her body near a highway.
Willie Ricardo Merida‑Escobar, 40, was charged with the first-degree murder of his wife, Karla Gramajo-Cabrera, on April 10 in Tulsa County. Merida-Escobar, a Guatemalan citizen, entered the country illegally in September 2016 and was issued a final deportation order in 2023, according to DHS.
“Willie Ricardo Merida‑Escobar, an illegal alien from Guatemala, strangled his wife and dumped her body under a highway in Oklahoma. This monster should never have been in our country,” Acting Deputy Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
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Officials said that Willie Ricardo Merida-Escobar, who was in the United States illegally and had a previous deportation order, admitted that he strangled his wife after an argument. (Google Maps; DHS)
“ICE has submitted a detention request to our law enforcement partners in Tulsa County to ensure that this sick individual is not released from custody. 7 of the 10 safest cities in the United States are cooperating with ICE,” Bis added. “Partnerships with law enforcement are critical to ensuring we have the resources we need to apprehend criminal illegal aliens across the country. Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, criminal aliens are not welcome in the United States.”
Gramajo-Cabrera was reported missing by her sister, prompting an investigation into her disappearance, according to NewsOn6.
Police noticed her husband Merida-Escobar’s penchant for suspicious activity and domestic violence, and after Escobar was taken into custody, the Guatemalan national confessed to killing his wife.
While authorities emphasize cooperation with local law enforcement in combating illegal immigrants, ICE filed a detainer request to ensure that Willie Ricardo Merida‑Escobar remains in custody. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)
Local police told NewsOn6 that the couple’s 17-year-old son was asleep at home when Merida-Escobar allegedly strangled his wife on April 8.
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According to NewsOn6, Merida-Escobar also told police that he was unable to pinpoint where he dumped his wife’s body, but after further investigation using phone data and further questioning, it was eventually found under a bed near a highway.
According to DHS, an argument broke out between the two after Merida-Escobar allegedly insulted his wife before she strangled him to death.
Oklahoma participates in the 287(g) program, allowing local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE to identify and refer illegal immigrant criminals for deportation. (iStock)
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Oklahoma, unlike some “sanctuary” states and jurisdictions, has a 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement to work with ICE and federal immigration officers and refer illegal immigrant criminals to the agency for deportation proceedings.
Fox News Digital reached out to Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt about whether Merida-Escobar would be processed for removal under the program but did not receive a response by time of publication.
