Homicide suspects had fake documents

By AnneMarie Knepper | Posted: Saturday, May 28, 2011 12:03 am

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The three men arrested in connection with the beating death of Jose Felipe Hernandez Leiva presented legitimate-looking documents and were believed to be legal to work in the United States, according to the farm that hired them.

"We asked for documents to prove that they were legal and they gave us those," said Debbie Cozzetto, marketing director for Stahlbush Island Farms, a 5,000-acre fruit, vegetable, grain and legume farm southeast of Corvallis.

She said it would be misleading to refer to these men as "undocumented workers."

"You have undocumented and you have false documentation," she said.

"We're in full compliance with federal and state employee regulations and documentation," Cozzetto said.

About two days after their hire, Linn County detectives arrested Edgar Hernandez-Mendoza, 25, and Jose Juarez-Alvarez, 30, charging each with murder.

A third worker, Luis Jimenez, 45, was also arrested and has been charged with hindering prosecution.

The federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed "holds" on them, indicating they are in the country illegally.

Hernandez Leiva was beaten to death - detectives aren't saying with what - and a motive has not been released. His body was found May 20 inside a sleeping bag near Interstate 5 east of Harrisburg.

All three suspects are from Mexico and had fake Social Security numbers, Linn County Sheriff Tim Mueller said Friday.

"One came back to a female," he said.

"There needs to be a better system in place for employers to check the validity," Mueller added. "I feel bad for the business owners. They are good people, very respectable."

Stahlbush Island Farms has been in business for more than 25 years.

"We certainly don't want these things to happen either," Cozzetto said. "It's very sad."

The accused were arraigned in Linn County Circuit Court on Thursday and had lawyers appointed for them.

Hernandez-Mendoza is being represented by Jennifer Nash and Nicholas Ortiz, both of Corvallis.

Juarez-Alvarez is being represented by John Rich, also of Corvallis.

Attorney Timothy Felling of Albany was named to represent Jimenez.

A status check hearing in the case was scheduled for June 27.

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