Fairfax Police Arrest Man Involved In Alleged Shooting
In a grim and deeply troubling case, a man in Virginia is dead today, allegedly murdered by an illegal immigrant who had been released from jail less than 24 hours earlier—despite an active detainer request from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The incident raises sobering questions about the practical consequences of sanctuary policies and the breakdown in cooperation between local and federal law enforcement.
The suspect, 23-year-old Marvin Morales-Ortez, is a Salvadoran national who reportedly crossed the southern U.S. border illegally in 2016. At the time, he and his mother claimed fear of returning to their home country, halting deportation proceedings.
By 2022, a judge had dismissed his case, leaving him in the country without legal status—but also without active removal orders. He remained here, undeterred by past brushes with the law, and was even flagged by law enforcement as a possible member of the violent MS-13 gang.
NEW: Soros DA Freed Killer YESTERDAY
Dec 16th: Fairfax Soros DA Steve Descano dropped ALL Charges vs. Marvin Fernando Morales-Ortez (illegal?) including attempt murder/gun
[September 12th Gun Assault]
>Malicious Wounding w/ Injury — Dropped (Nolle Pros)
>Point/Brandish Firearm… https://t.co/RJ9CCQpjAy pic.twitter.com/5Oqw3pqlpu— Virginians 4 Safe Communities (@VA4SafeComm) December 17, 2025
Despite that, Morales-Ortez was not a ghost in the system—he was on law enforcement’s radar repeatedly. Between 2019 and 2024, he was arrested at least six times, facing serious allegations including first-degree murder, assault, and brandishing a firearm. Charges in a 2021 murder case were eventually dropped when he was found not to be involved. In another instance, he was convicted of theft and fined, but never paid.
The most recent incident began with his arrest on charges of assault and gun brandishing. Those charges, however, were dismissed by the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office due to the alleged victim’s refusal to return from abroad and testify. Without a cooperative witness, prosecutors claimed they were left without a case.
Following his release, an emergency custody order (ECO) was issued by a clinician, likely for mental health concerns. However, officers were unable to locate Morales-Ortez within the eight-hour validity window for the ECO. Hours later, a man was shot dead in his own home in Reston, Virginia. Morales-Ortez is now the primary suspect.
Federal law enforcement sources, quoted in multiple outlets, assert that ICE had placed a detainer request for Morales-Ortez prior to his release. Fairfax County, which operates as a sanctuary jurisdiction, reportedly ignored it.
The death of an innocent man at the hands of someone who—by all accounts—should never have remained on the streets will now become a focal point in an ongoing national debate. Immigration policy, judicial discretion, sanctuary city protocols, and law enforcement priorities have collided, with fatal results.