After months of international legal maneuvering, Alder Alfonso Marin-Sotelo has been successfully extradited back to the United States to face charges relating to the death of Wake County Deputy Ned Byrd. The Wake County Sheriff's Office expressed its gratification over Marin-Sotelo's extradition, which was coordinated with assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice and various other agencies. The collaborative law enforcement effort concluded with Marin-Sotelo's arrest by Mexican authorities in May 2023, following an indictment for first-degree murder dated back to August 2022.
The Wake County community has been closely following the case since Deputy Byrd's death on August 11, 2022. Sheriff Willie Rowe acknowledged the unwavering commitment to seek justice in a statement obtained by Wake County Government's news release, "Deputy Byrd was one of our own, and we have never stopped working to ensure justice is served. This extradition is a testament to the determination and collaboration of law enforcement agencies at the state, local and federal levels. We are grateful for their efforts and remain committed to seeing this case through."
The case's proceedings can now move forward, with Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman noting the importance of Marin-Sotelo's return to the judicial process. According to the same news release on the Wake County website, Freeman said, "The return of Mr. Marin-Sotelo to the United States now allows us to move forward with this case and set a trial date. We are grateful for the cross-agency collaboration that brought him back to face these charges. We know this is a case of significant importance to our community, and our thoughts remain with Deputy Byrd’s family and friends."
