Honduran Pleads not Guilty in American Murder Case
The Honduran immigrant was arrested on March 18 and charged with several counts, including homicide, rape, and necrophilia.
The trial against Sagastume Rivas is expected to begin on June 23. – Photo: Courtesy
Honduran Héctor David Sagastume Rivas , 21, pleaded not guilty Monday to several charges related to the murder of a woman in Georgia last March, in a case that has been used by the White House to fuel its rhetoric against former President Joe Biden’s “open borders” policy.
Sagastume Rivas pleaded not guilty to the death of 52-year-old Camillia Williams, who was found dead on March 14 in bushes near her home in Cobb County, Georgia.
The Honduran immigrant, subject to an in-absent deportation order, was arrested on March 18 and charged with several counts, including homicide, rape, and necrophilia.
According to an arrest warrant obtained by FOX 5, Rivas physically assaulted Williams, a mother of five, placing her in a chokehold, causing her to lose consciousness. Once unconscious, the man allegedly placed both knees and his full weight on her neck, causing her death.
The trial against Sagastume Rivas is expected to begin on June 23.
The United States gives $1,000 to migrants who self-deport; a Honduran is the first.
The charge against the Honduran, who entered the United States in 2021, has been used by President Donald Trump’s administration as part of its rhetoric against the “open borders” policy promoted by the previous administration.
“This illegal immigrant should never have been in our country. President Trump and I prioritize the safety of the American people,” wrote US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in a message on her X account after the Honduran man’s arrest.
Noem blamed the Biden administration (2021-2025) for the woman’s death, for releasing the immigrant after being detained at the border upon entering.
Williams’ murder occurred shortly after the one-year anniversary of the murder of college student Laken Riley in Georgia by Venezuelan immigrant José Ibarra, who was sentenced to life in prison.
Riley’s case was used by the US president in his reelection campaign, and a law bearing the university student’s name became the first signed by Trump last January.
The law requires the arrest and possible deportation of undocumented immigrants accused of minor crimes such as theft before they have been convicted. EFE
