ICE arrested Edwin Antonio Hernandez Hernandez, 27, in Alexandria, Virginia, on Dec. 31 after U.S. officials say he admitted to five murders in El Salvador and is affiliated with MS-13. Sources say some alleged killings involved violence against members of the rival 18th Street (Barrio 18) gang. A USCIS report indicates Hernandez entered the U.S. illegally near Hidalgo, Texas, in June 2015 and was later taken into ICE custody for illegal entry and visa violations. The arrest occurred after Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger rescinded a state directive encouraging cooperation with ICE.
Alleged MS-13 Member Who Confessed To Five Murders In El Salvador Arrested By ICE In Virginia
Edwin Antonio Hernandez Hernandez was detained by ICE in Alexandria, Va., DHS sources told Fox News Digital.(Getty Images)
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Edwin Antonio Hernandez Hernandez, 27, in Alexandria, Virginia, on Dec. 31, officials told Fox News Digital. Hernandez is an alleged member of the MS-13 gang who sources say admitted to participating in five murders in El Salvador.
Abigail Spanberger is sworn in as Virginia's first female governor of Virginia Jan. 17, 2026, in Richmond, Va.
Arrest And Allegations
Department of Homeland Security sources and a USCIS report obtained by Fox News Digital say Hernandez — who uses the aliases "Demente" and "Crazy" — claimed involvement in five homicides in his native country. In two of the alleged killings, Hernandez reportedly shot rival 18th Street (Barrio 18) gang members in the chest and head. In another incident described by sources, Hernandez said MS-13 members tortured an 18th Street member; he then allegedly stabbed the victim twice before the victim was dismembered while still alive.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, along with other federal law enforcement agencies, attend a pre-enforcement meeting in Chicago Jan. 26, 2025.
Immigration History
According to the USCIS report, Hernandez entered the United States illegally near Hidalgo, Texas, in June 2015 and was initially detained by U.S. Border Patrol. He was later released pending immigration court proceedings. DHS sources say USCIS referred his case to ICE, which took him into custody in Alexandria for illegal entry and remaining in the U.S. without a valid visa.
Policy Context In Virginia
The arrest came after newly sworn-in Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed an executive order rescinding a previous state directive that encouraged cooperation with ICE on civil immigration enforcement. Spanberger’s office said the change was intended to keep state and local law enforcement focused on core public-safety responsibilities — investigating crime, staffing jails and community engagement.
Note: The allegations described above come from DHS sources and a USCIS report cited by Fox News Digital. The suspect’s claims and the reported details of crimes have not been adjudicated in court.
Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to reporting on this case.
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