Joshua Aviala-Bonifacio, a 19-year-old illegal immigrant from Honduras, has been charged with the murder of Kristie Thibodeaux, a 43-year-old tour guide in New Orleans. Thibodeaux was killed on June 30th. Aviala-Bonifacio, alongside 17-year-old Jerben Albarec, faces charges of second-degree murder and attempted armed robbery. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that Aviala-Bonifacio entered the U.S. illegally in 2019. He had a history of arrests, including for theft.

Another suspect, 15-year-old Kevin Nunez, had an active warrant and was wearing a deactivated ankle monitor. Nunez had prior convictions for aggravated assault and illegal possession of a handgun.

Thibodeaux was well-regarded in her community for her work as a tour guide. Brian Cain, a local business owner, praised her as “the life of the party and the mother hen,” who ensured tourists saw the best of New Orleans.

This case adds to the growing concerns over violent crimes by illegal immigrants. Earlier this year, 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray was allegedly killed by two illegal immigrants in Texas, and Georgia nursing student Laken Riley was reportedly murdered by an illegal immigrant from Venezuela.

Since President Biden took office, over 10 million people have crossed the border, with 1.7 million illegal immigrant gotaways recorded since 2021. Under the Trump administration, there were 415,000 total gotaways reported from 2018 to 2020.

The murder of Thibodeaux underscores the ongoing debate over border security and the impact of illegal immigration on public safety. Critics argue that stricter immigration policies are necessary to protect American citizens from such violent crimes.