GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — In what is seemingly a daily occurrence somewhere in the country, an illegal immigrant is accused of a heinous crime. In this case, a man is facing five charges in connection to the shooting death of his girlfriend.
The suspect was identified as 25-year-old Brandon Ortiz-Vite. He is accused of shooting and killing 25-year-old Ruby Garcia on the night of March 22, reported WZZM 13.
Garcia’s body was discovered Friday night on a highway near Grand Rapids, Michigan. Investigators said she had been shot multiple times, WXMI-TV reported.
According to court documents, Garcia’s cell phone was found near her body. Text messages on the device showed she and Ortiz-Vite planned to meet at her home an hour before her she was found dead on the roadway.
Ortiz-Vite called 911 early Sunday wanting to surrender for the homicide. The Michigan State Police arrested the 25-year-old migrant later that day at a church in Allegan County, court documents revealed.
Ortiz-Vite confessed to shooting Garcia several times in her car and then leaving her for dead on US-131.
“He told investigators he then exited the vehicle and walked around to the driver’s side. He shot her again before removing her body from the vehicle. He said he then drove the car away from the scene before abandoning it,” WZZM reported.
When Ortiz-Vite turned himself in on Tuesday, he was still wearing clothing with blood stains from the murder. Troopers also recovered a 9mm handgun in his possession during the arrest. It is believed to be the same weapon used to shoot and kill Garcia, court documents revealed.
Members of Garcia’s family told detectives that she was involved in a dating relationship with Ortiz-Vite, according to WZZM.
At the time of his surrender, Ortiz-Vite was also taken into custody on a bench warrant for an unrelated case dating back to August 2020.
Ortiz-Vite, who has a lengthy rap sheet in Michigan dating back to 2017, faces several charges, which include felony murder, open murder, carjacking and two weapons offenses, The Western Journal reported.
U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said in a statement that Ortiz-Vite was in the country illegally after having been deported back to Mexico on Sept. 29, 2020, according to WXMI.
“At an unknown date and location Ortiz-Vite reentered the United States without inspection by an immigration official,” ICE said.
