Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — After further investigation, it was revealed on Wednesday, July 10 that one of the three suspects in the fatal shooting of a French Quarter tour guide was in the United States illegally.
According to the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 19-year-old Joshua Aviala-Bonifacio is a Honduran citizen who allegedly entered the United States illegally on an unknown date.
ICE noted that on May 11, 2019, Border Patrol had a run-in with Aviala-Bonifacio in Texas and determined he was inadmissible. He also reportedly has a history of being arrested for theft and contributing to the delinquency of juveniles.
ICE officials released a log of Aviala-Bonifacio’s background since entering the country:
- On May 14, 2019, U.S. Border Patrol released Aviala-Bonifacio on an order of recognizance.
- On Oct. 6, 2023, the Kenner Police Department arrested Aviala-Bonifacio for theft under the alias Joshua Avila.
- On Feb. 14, 2024, the KPD arrested Aviala-Bonifacio for theft, contributing to the delinquency of juveniles and three Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office fugitive attachments
This month, he, 17-year-old Jerben Albarec and an unidentified 15-year-old boy were arrested by the New Orleans Police Department Violent Crime Task Force for second-degree murder and attempted armed robbery with the use of a firearm that led to the death of 43-year-old Kristie Thibodaux.
On July 8, Enforcement and Removal Operations lodged Aviala-Bonifacio at the Orleans Parish Justice Center.
Additionally, the homicide case remains under investigation after the unidentified 15-year-old boy was supposedly under supervision by an electronic ankle monitoring device.
New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams and State Attorney General Liz Murrill both expressed that the crime should not have happened and that changes need to be made to the “broken system.”
“Also – Where are the parents of these boys? They need to be held accountable too. While I am working to help keep New Orleans safe, this is just another prime example of the dysfunction we are dealing with,” said Murrill.
“This is a major problem, as a young defendant under court supervision and electronic monitoring should not have been able to roam freely about the city at any hour without some form of court action or notice to law enforcement,” said Williams.
Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.