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Man Charged With Killing Muslim Teenager Entered United States Illegally, Authorities Say Man Charged With Killing Muslim Teenager Entered United States Illegally, Authorities Say
(about 20 hours later)
A 22-year-old man accused of killing a Muslim teenager with a baseball bat in Virginia on Sunday is an undocumented immigrant who entered the United States illegally, federal authorities said on Tuesday.A 22-year-old man accused of killing a Muslim teenager with a baseball bat in Virginia on Sunday is an undocumented immigrant who entered the United States illegally, federal authorities said on Tuesday.
The man, Darwin Martinez Torres, who was charged with murder in the death of Nabra Hassanen, 17, is believed to be from El Salvador, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman said. The agency said it issued a so-called detainer on Monday with the Adult Detention Center in Fairfax, Va., where Mr. Torres is being held without bail, to keep him in custody in the event that he could be released. The man, Darwin Martinez Torres, who was charged with murder in the death of Nabra Hassanen, 17, is believed to be from El Salvador, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman said. The agency said it issued a so-called detainer on Monday with the Adult Detention Center in Fairfax, Va., where Mr. Martinez is being held without bail, to keep him in custody in the event that he could be released.
ICE, which said it had no previous encounters with Mr. Torres, did not say when he came to the United States, how old he was at the time and whether he arrived with anyone else. Minors in El Salvador have fled that country in recent years, often traveling north through Mexico, to escape violent gangs. Under President Barack Obama, the White House expanded a humanitarian program to admit Central American refugees fleeing dangerous conditions. ICE, which said it had no previous encounters with Mr. Martinez, did not say when he came to the United States, how old he was at the time and whether he arrived with anyone else. Minors in El Salvador have fled that country in recent years, often traveling north through Mexico, to escape violent gangs. Under President Barack Obama, the White House expanded a humanitarian program to admit Central American refugees fleeing dangerous conditions.
The announcement by ICE came on a day that vigils for Ms. Hassanen were held in New York City, Washington and elsewhere, and as calls have mounted for the police in Fairfax County to charge Mr. Torres with a hate crime. While Ms. Hassanen was with a group of friends who were wearing Muslim head scarves and robes, the police in Fairfax County have said that the killing had resulted from a “road rage incident” and that no evidence had emerged to warrant a hate crime charge. The announcement by ICE came on a day that vigils for Ms. Hassanen were held in New York City, Washington and elsewhere, and as calls have mounted for the police in Fairfax County to charge Mr. Martinez with a hate crime. While Ms. Hassanen was with a group of friends who were wearing Muslim head scarves and robes, the police in Fairfax County have said that the killing had resulted from a “road rage incident” and that no evidence had emerged to warrant a hate crime charge.
At a news conference on Tuesday evening, members of Ms. Hassanen’s family and religious leaders, including the chaplain of her mosque, the All Dulles Area Muslim Society, voiced support for the Fairfax County Police Department’s investigation. They said they believed the police would review everything, including whether Ms. Hassanen was targeted because she was Muslim.At a news conference on Tuesday evening, members of Ms. Hassanen’s family and religious leaders, including the chaplain of her mosque, the All Dulles Area Muslim Society, voiced support for the Fairfax County Police Department’s investigation. They said they believed the police would review everything, including whether Ms. Hassanen was targeted because she was Muslim.
Her father, Mohmoud Hassanen, said that he hoped that the public in general could “stop hating on people for any kind of religion or anything like that.” Fighting back tears, he added, “I don’t want anybody to be in this position.”Her father, Mohmoud Hassanen, said that he hoped that the public in general could “stop hating on people for any kind of religion or anything like that.” Fighting back tears, he added, “I don’t want anybody to be in this position.”
The police have classified the case as a “road rage incident” that erupted after Mr. Torres, who was driving a car, came upon the group around 3:40 a.m. Sunday near the All Dulles Area Muslim Society mosque. They were returning there after taking an early-morning break at a fast-food restaurant. The police have classified the case as a “road rage incident” that erupted after Mr. Martinez, who was driving a car, came upon the group around 3:40 a.m. Sunday near the All Dulles Area Muslim Society mosque. They were returning there after taking an early-morning break at a fast-food restaurant.
On the way back to the mosque, Mr. Torres pulled up on a boy in the group riding a bicycle in the street, the police said. Mr. Torres believed the boy was blocking the street, got upset and drove his car into a curb in a fit of rage, the police said. On the way back to the mosque, Mr. Martinez pulled up on a boy in the group riding a bicycle in the street, the police said. Mr. Torres believed the boy was blocking the street, got upset and drove his car into a curb in a fit of rage, the police said.
The group ran, but Mr. Torres caught up to them in a parking lot and chased down Ms. Hassanen with a baseball bat. He hit her with the bat, the police said, and took her in his car. The group ran, but Mr. Martinez caught up to them in a parking lot and chased down Ms. Hassanen with a baseball bat. He hit her with the bat, the police said, and took her in his car.
Her body was found about 11 hours later in a man-made pond in Loudoun County. Mr. Torres was arrested about 5:15 a.m. Sunday after officers spotted him lingering in his car near the search area for her. Her body was found about 11 hours later in a man-made pond in Loudoun County. Mr. Martinez
was arrested about 5:15 a.m. Sunday after officers spotted him lingering in his car near the search area for her.
The police investigation will include a review into whether Ms. Hassanen was sexually assaulted during the attack, Tawny Wright, a Fairfax County police spokeswoman, said on Tuesday. She said that was standard in a murder investigation, but that she was unaware of any evidence to indicate that Ms. Hassanen had been sexually assaulted.The police investigation will include a review into whether Ms. Hassanen was sexually assaulted during the attack, Tawny Wright, a Fairfax County police spokeswoman, said on Tuesday. She said that was standard in a murder investigation, but that she was unaware of any evidence to indicate that Ms. Hassanen had been sexually assaulted.
“We are looking into the possibility of that,” Ms. Wright said. “If that were the case, detectives would consult with the commonwealth attorney’s office to determine whether additional charges are appropriate.”“We are looking into the possibility of that,” Ms. Wright said. “If that were the case, detectives would consult with the commonwealth attorney’s office to determine whether additional charges are appropriate.”