Federal authorities have confirmed that the illegal immigrant accused of fatally stabbing a Fairfax County mother was caught crossing the southern border and released into the United States under the previous administration.

Alexis Antonio Cedillos-Campos, 19, of El Salvador, was arrested by Fairfax County police in connection with the death of 42-year-old Carmen Lizet Puch. Police said the attack occurred early Monday morning near a trail in Great Falls, where Puch's body was found with multiple stab wounds and doused in gasoline.

DHS confirmed to Fox News that Cedillos-Campos was arrested by Border Patrol near El Paso, Texas, on or about April 15, 2024, after illegally crossing the border. He was subsequently released into the country.

During a press conference, Fairfax County police stated that Cedillos-Campos was in custody and offering a full confession. Officials noted an intimate relationship existed between the suspect and the victim, who was a mother of a three-year-old girl.

The case has renewed scrutiny over border enforcement policies that allowed individuals with no legal status to remain in the country after apprehension. Puch's death marks another violent incident involving an illegal immigrant in the region.

Police responded to a report from a jogger who discovered the body. Investigators quickly identified and arrested Cedillos-Campos.

Community members expressed shock over the brutality of the crime against a local mother. Fairfax County authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack.