A man who was living in Memphis and last year attacked and killed an 18-year-old woman with a machete pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder — and federal officials said Wednesday he’s an illegal alien.
That man, Ledis Sanchez, 36, is from Central America, said Sarah Loicano, spokeswoman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“ICE filed an immigration detainer Feb. 18, 2020, on Ledis Noel Sanchez-Baquedano, 36, an unlawfully present citizen of Honduras, following his felony arrest by the Memphis Police Department for first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder,” Loicano told The Tennessee Star on Wednesday, via email.
“Sanchez was previously removed from the United States by the U.S. Border Patrol on an expedited order of removal on May 11, 2012 and again on June 29, 2012.”
The Memphis Commercial Appeal last year reported that Sanchez used a machete to attack and kill Sierra Howard. He also injured Howard’s mother. The paper said Howard’s mother sustained a fractured skull and injuries to her arms and hands.
Members of the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office told The Star that Sanchez pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder and received a sentence of 40 years. He also pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder and received a sentence of 30 years.
Both sentences will run concurrently, court officials said.
Per federal law, ICE has the authority to lodge immigration detainers with law enforcement partners who have custody of individuals arrested on criminal charges and who ICE has probable cause to believe are removable noncitizens.
The detainer form asks other law enforcement agencies to notify ICE in advance of releasing these people and to maintain custody of the noncitizen for a brief period. This, so ICE can take custody of that person in a safe and secure setting upon release from that agency’s custody.
– – –
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
It is PAST time for TN to deal with the thousands and thousands of ILLEGALS in this State and primarily in middle TN esp Nashville.
Time for TN to crack down on “3rd Party” outsourcing for Contractors especially
That’s pretty sick that you can murder someone and only get 40 years.
[…] Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Brutal Murder in Memphis […]
When you are diagnosed with a cancerous tumor within your body, you don’t leave it there, thinking it will go away on it’s own. You get specific treatment that eliminates the tumor!
It’s time for Tennesseans to take Memphis back! It’s an important part of Tennessee, rich in history and rich in culture!
It’s NOT OK that Memphis is the laughing stock of Tennessee! It’s NOT OK that Memphis is home to failed schools! It’s NOT OK that Memphis is full of crime, gangs and drugs that ravage her citizens! It’s NOT OK! The entire political system within Tennessee is guilty of ignoring, making exclusive’s for, and “writing off”, Memphis. This MUST stop!
Kevin – I understand your position but I am of the opinion that Memphis is beyond hope. You must admit that Lee, his legislative cronies, and the Tennessee EDC just pumped $1 dollars into west Tennessee to pad the pockets of Ford and the locals. Now I assume that the Memphis area will be the prime benefactor of this largess. Not sure how much blood, sweat and dollars one pumps into a deep dark hole before one just stops wasting time, energy and money on it. In my opinion it is way past that point.