Brutal Murder Prompts SJ Mayor To Ask When Felons Out

SAN JOSE, CA --The city of San Jose is asking for the county to proactively inform federal immigration authorities when a predatory felon is about to be released into the community – someone with what is considered to be a “strike” felony offense, Mayor San Liccardo announced Tuesday.

Liccardo's announcement came on the heels of a brutal Feb. 28 murder of a San Jose woman on Knollfield Way at the hands of an undocumented immigrant who was on ICE's radar.

“This is a devastating tragedy-- and my thoughts and prayers go to Ms. (Bambi) Larson’s family during this awful time. I’m grateful to Chief Eddie Garcia and our San Jose Police Department officers for their work in apprehending and arresting this individual and keeping our community safe," Liccardo said, adding the policy is long overdue to overturn a policy that "undermines the safety of the very immigrant communities we collectively seek to protect."

The mayor pointed out how he sent a letter in July 2015 encouraging county leaders to review their policies "to ensure federal immigration authorities prosecute violent, predatory individuals who pose a serious threat to our residents."

Liccardo's views are in line with the police department and county District Attorney Jeff Rosen, who has sought to have the county accept ICE detainers for individuals who are arrested for prior first-degree home burglaries and other ‘strike’ offenses like that of Carlos Eduardo Arevalo Carranza.

The 24-year-old transient was arrested Monday on suspicion of stabbing to death Larson, 59, in her home.

Liccardo noted the county’s policy has nothing to do with the city’s decades-long policy of declining to have police engage in federal immigration enforcement, which was implemented to protect public safety. In contrast, the current county policy of ignoring detainer requests for individuals arrested for strike offenses and convicted of multiple felonies undermines public safety.

Santa Clara County Counsel James R. Williams reassured the public the homicide and subsequent discussion about how to avoid or handle such matters is something the local government does not take lightly.

"We were heartbroken to hear of Ms. Larson’s tragic death. We are still working to gather additional facts to be able to answer questions regarding the arrest of Mr. Arevalo-Carranza in connection with her murder. Until we know all the facts, we cannot come to conclusions, as others have done," Williams said, clarifying that rushing to judgment without the facts regarding the county’s immigration detainer policy is "based on a significant misunderstanding of the law."

Further, Williams warned: "The Constitution requires that all people—both documented and undocumented—have a right to due process. Under numerous decisions by federal courts around the country and the California Values Act (SB 54), the county is prohibited from holding any individual in custody beyond their normal release date without first receiving a warrant from ICE. ICE could have, and should have, obtained a warrant under which the county could have held Mr. Arevalo-Carranza, so ICE could take him into ICE custody."

Regarding the Larson homicide case, San Jose Police encourages anyone with information about it to contact Detective Sergeant Isidro Bagon or Detective Mike Drago of the San Jose Police Department's Homicide Unit at 408-277-5283. Persons wishing to remain anonymous may either call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line, 408-947-STOP (7867), or click the "Submit a Tip" link below. Those who provided information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect may be eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers.