An illegal immigrant who has been deported three different times has been arrested in connection with lighting a house on fire in California.
According to authorities, Jose Carmen Cardona, 59, was arrested this week and charged in the June 25 camper fire in Stockton that killed 32-year-old Lisbeth Gutierrez-Salazar and her two sons — Juan Gutierrez-Salazar, 10, and Julian Cardona-Gutierrez, 7.
Cardona was on the run until he was picked up by the US Marshals Service.
“The U.S. Marshals Service Task Force in the Eastern District of California worked countless hours and traveled great distances to locate this violent fugitive,” Lasha Boyden, the US Marshal for the Eastern District of California, said.
“Thanks to a tipster, we were able to act quickly and take this suspect into custody safely and without incident. The loss of life in this horrific tragedy was felt by the community and our nation,” Boyden continued. “I hope his capture brings some sense of relief to the victims’ family.”
Carmona allegedly set the fire shortly before 6:40 a.m. on June 25 while Gutierrez-Salazar and the two children were asleep inside the trailer.
The illegal has been charged with murder, attempted murder and child endangerment.
