Sanctuary authorities in Virginia released an illegal immigrant from jail who went on to murder a man less than 24 hours later. Salvadoran migrant Marvin Morales-Ortez, 23, allegedly fatally shot a man inside his Reston, Virginia, home Wednesday after authorities in Fairfax County released him from jail and ignored a federal immigration detainer to hand him over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to multiple reports. Federal law enforcement sources told The Daily Wire that Morales-Ortez crossed the southern border illegally in 2016. At the time, Border Patrol agents were preparing to deport him and his mother. However, the two claimed they had a fear of returning to their home country. In 2022, an immigration judge dismissed his deportation case altogether, effectively allowing him to stay in the country without any legal status, sources said. NEW: Soros DA Freed Killer YESTERDAY Dec 16th: Fairfax Soros DA Steve Descano dropped ALL Charges vs. Marvin Fernando Morales-Ortez (illegal?) including attempt murder/gun [September 12th Gun Assault] >Malicious Wounding w/ Injury — Dropped (Nolle Pros) >Point/Brandish Firearm… https://t.co/RJ9CCQpjAy pic.twitter.com/5Oqw3pqlpu — Virginians 4 Safe Communities (@VA4SafeComm) December 17, 2025 He has also been tagged as a suspected member of the violent MS-13 gang, according to ABC7. Morales-Ortez popped back up on authorities’ radar six other times starting in 2019 for a slew of alleged crimes ranging from murder to assault, according to ABC7. He was charged with first-degree murder in 2021 and spent a year and a half behind bars while awaiting trial, according to ABC7. The charges against him were ultimately dropped after authorities determined that he wasn’t involved. Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships Another individual was ultimately convicted. Morales-Ortez was found guilty for a previous theft case, where he was fined $300, according to ABC7. He never paid the fine. Before he was released this latest time, Morales-Ortez was charged for allegedly brandishing a gun and assaulting and injuring someone, the local outlet reported. He was set free after the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office dropped the case. “Prosecutors were unable to move forward with the case because the victim told police that they were out of the country and would not be coming to court to cooperate in proceedings. Sadly, without the victim’s necessary testimony, we could not move forward with the case,” the attorney’s office said. The Fairfax County Police Department said they subsequently obtained an emergency order to take the illegal immigrant back into custody, but failed to find him within the allowed time window. Authorities eventually nabbed him after a lengthy manhunt. “After his release, a Community Services Board (CSB) clinician obtained an Emergency Custody Order (ECO) for Morales-Ortez. An ECO is valid for eight hours after issuance by a magistrate,” the police department wrote on X. “FCPD Reston District patrol officers were then dispatched to serve the ECO and take Morales-Ortez into custody. FCPD patrol officers responded to the address of record for Morales-Ortez and did not locate him at his residence. The ECO expired shortly thereafter.” Fairfax County has notoriously operated as a sanctuary jurisdiction, routinely releasing illegal immigrants from jail without notifying ICE, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.