David Antonio Aviles Perez, 35, an alleged MS-13 executioner known as “the witch,” has been taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in San Diego. Aviles Perez was sought internationally on an arrest warrant for aggravated murder issued by authorities in El Salvador.

International Murder Warrant

Authorities in El Salvador had sentenced Aviles Perez to 20 years in prison in December for aggravated homicide. The conviction stemmed from a 2014 murder in Yucuaiquín, in the eastern state of La Union. According to the country’s attorney general, Aviles Perez and Ismael Enrique Mendoza Flores murdered a man during a dispute.

Details of the 2014 Murder

The Salvadoran prosecution’s indictment details how Aviles Perez, also known as “la bruja,” and his fellow gang members followed the victim and initially shot at him. The victim was then forced to kneel while Aviles Perez and Mendoza Flores shot him in the chest, back, and face, according to the attorney general’s report. Both men were identified as active members of MS-13.

Arrest in California and Release

Aviles Perez, who entered the U.S. illegally, was arrested in Monterey, California, in August 2023 for assault with a deadly weapon. Police reports indicate he swung a machete at a man in Laguna Grande Park following an argument. He hid the machete in a nearby Holiday Inn parking lot.

Impact of Sanctuary Policies

Despite the charges of assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a controlled substance, and petty theft, Aviles Perez was released due to California’s sanctuary laws. DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis stated that these policies allowed his release. California’s 2017 sanctuary law limits cooperation between state and local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.

Aviles Perez is currently being held while awaiting his return to El Salvador to serve his 20-year sentence for the 2014 murder.