Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Wednesday that the Biden administration knew the man suspected of murdering a DHS employee had a checkered criminal history, but granted him citizenship anyway. Mullin said that 26-year-old Olaolukitan Adon Abel had an established criminal pattern before he was granted citizenship in 2022 by the Biden administration. Abel was arrested earlier this week for murdering 40-year-old DHS employee Lauren Bullis in DeKalb County, Georgia, while she was out walking her dog. “This individual not just had a pattern of criminal activity, but his pattern was every April. Every April, he had escalated his criminal activity, and the Biden administration knew this, law enforcement knew this, and they decided not to just deport him, but they allowed him to become a citizen, and then he escalated it to the point he did now,” Mullin said during an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham. Lauren Bullis, a DHS employee, was shot and stabbed while she was walking her dog by a citizen naturalized by the Biden administration. This horrific incident is a devastating loss for the entire DHS community.@SecMullinDHS pic.twitter.com/3QyPIbffEG — Homeland Security (@DHSgov) April 15, 2026 Abel was arrested on Monday after police said that he went on a random killing spree that left Bullis and another woman dead, and a homeless man seriously injured. Bullis was shot and stabbed while out walking her dog Monday morning. Born in the United Kingdom, Abel has an extensive criminal history including convictions for sexual battery, battery against a police officer, obstruction, assault with a deadly weapon, and vandalism. Mullin said it did not appear to be a targeted killing, but said there must have been some connection to the month of April. “So the question is, why April? There must have been something in his life that was triggering April, that he was acting out, but there was a direct pattern to it,” he said. Bullis worked in the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security as an auditor. “In every role she held, Lauren exemplified dedication to the OIG mission. Lauren approached her work with integrity, thoughtfulness, and a commitment to excellence that strengthened our organization and the communities we serve,” DHS said Wednesday. “Beyond her professional accomplishments, Lauren was a bright spot for so many of the DHS community. She brought warmth, kindness, and a genuine sense of care to her colleagues each day.”