Illegal alien charged with murder of teen sister-in-law
February 21st, 2011 7:38 pm ET

Dave Gibson
Immigration Reform Examiner


Katherine Sanchez and Carlos Cardenas
Photo: Orleans County Sheriff's Office

On Friday, the body of 15-year-old Katherine Sanchez was recovered in an apple orchard in Orleans County, New York. The girl had been missing for over a month.

Her brother-in-law, Carlos Cardenas, 21, has been charged with her murder. He once worked in the orchard where the girl’s remains were unearthed.

According to Albion Police Chief Dean London, the Mexican national admitted to strangling the girl to death back on January 15. He was reportedly worried that she would tell her sister that he had raped her.

An autopsy confirmed the victim was suffocated.

Police said that they viewed Cardenas as a suspect from the day Sanchez disappeared, but did not announce it because of his illegal status and fear that he would flee to Mexico.

Chief London told reporters: “I want to emphasize the news of her disappearance was not circulated by law enforcement because the defendant, who has been the suspect since the matter was reported to us, was not in custody and our concern was that news of the victim’s disappearance would hinder our investigation.â€