The Department of Homeland Security has publicly urged Dallas officials not to release Luis Fernando Benitez-Gonzalez, a Mexican national accused of murdering two women in Central Texas with crimes spanning more than six years.
Benitez-Gonzalez was arrested in the Dallas area on April 27 by U.S. Marshals and Texas police. ICE has lodged a detainer requesting that local authorities notify the agency before any release and hold him long enough for federal agents to take custody.
DNA evidence allegedly ties Benitez-Gonzalez to two separate murder scenes involving Alba Jenisse Aviles-Marti, 28, and Alyssa Ann Rivera, 34. Police believe there could be additional victims. DHS confirmed the detainer and stated Benitez-Gonzalez is charged with first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and dangerous drugs possession.
DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis emphasized that Aviles-Marti and Rivera “should still be alive,” framing the case as an example of why immigration enforcement matters for public safety. The detainer is critical because it prevents local authorities from releasing a removable alien without federal oversight to ensure timely custody.
The timeline of these crimes is alarming: Aviles-Marti was murdered in April 2018, and Rivera was found dead on June 21, 2024. DNA evidence connected the two murder scenes before investigators identified Benitez-Gonzalez. The suspect had been voluntarily deported from the United States in 2020 but returned to commit these crimes.
Authorities report that Aviles-Marti was last seen alive at Club Caribe in Austin on April 14, 2018. She was discovered with evidence of being dragged, strangled, and sexually assaulted, including mud on her clothing, bruising on her neck, chin, and lip, blood on her face and car, and an earring found away from the vehicle.
Rivera was found dead in an abandoned Austin house with an extension cord around her neck, a bloody rock, bloody handprints, and evidence she had been dragged inside and assaulted. Police state that DNA evidence linked both murder scenes to Benitez-Gonzalez.
Investigators believe Benitez-Gonzalez may have crossed paths with potential victims in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Hidalgo County. A veteran detective noted the gap between the 2018 and 2024 murders and stated there is a “strong likelihood” he will commit further acts of violence.
The DHS has warned that releasing Benitez-Gonzalez could endanger the community, as his voluntary deportation in 2020 followed by these crimes demonstrates a pattern of violence that continues to pose risks.