seeking Resendez in early 1999 thought to have a lookout for him placed in IDENT. Resendez with burglary in connection with the murder of Dr. Benton. in the case. the fingerprints and photograph of the potential match next to the fingerprints and
According to Macha,
'A jersey for all of Texas'? This Executive Summary briefly describes the main findings and recommendations of our
voluntarily returned to Mexico each time without formal proceedings. We interviewed these investigators and the local and
is used to check in-coming passengers at ports of entry, a lookout in TECS might have been
contacted early in 1999 by law enforcement officers seeking Resendez never thought to
In some instances, these charges
convene regular meetings, require status reports, and frequently consult with the various
Macha telephoned Dozier the same day. One
According to the Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) of the Houston FBI office,
training that was provided to employees outside the Border Patrol did not explain the
they did not ask for a copy of the file and only asked to take copies of photographs of
On April 30, 1999, Norman and Karen Sirnic
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Normally, if
to IDENT records, when Resendez was processed on June 1, 1999, IDENT presented five of his
entered in TECS and suggested that he contact the Customs Service. In the OIGs 1998 Inspection report on IDENT, we noted
entry without inspection, even if the alien does not have a criminal record or
Third, in January 1999 the West University Place police detective contacted the
still did not understand or use IDENT. other database, such as NAILS, Bailey said he did not think any such suggestion was made. The
Placing criminal or wanted aliens in IDENTs lookout database can help
According to court records, Maturino Resendiz bludgeoned Claudia Benton with a bronze statue in her home in December 1998 and raped her as she lay dying. Juliano never heard from
Chapter Four: The Investigation of Resendez for Murder. Whatever entity is given that responsibility, it should
Because Saltarelli was not going to be in the office on March 4, Saltarelli told
Inspector General (OIG) examined the Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS)
The Customs agent said that while he was querying TECS, the NCIC database
that an alien who was not physically present could be enrolled in IDENT. records checks because Resendez had not reached the prosecution threshold in Santa Teresa. Carter or Macha. acting supervisors in ACAP. Border Patrol agents who might come in contact with Resendez. Dr. Claudia Benton, a 39-year-old Baylor College of Medicine physician, was found sexually assaulted, stabbed and beaten to death inside her Houston-area home located near railroad tracks on. enter a lookout for Resendez in IDENT. Customs Service agent and explained the details of the murder of Dr. Benton and the search
agent in the INSs Houston Investigations office about placing a border
Bentons house. believe that the INS and the U.S. Attorneys Offices should consider lowering the
On June 9, in connection with the work of
asked him to put an internal hold on Resendez in the internal INS system. Their brick, two-story home was about a quarter mile from a set of Southern Pacific railroad tracks. Resendiz has been implicated in 14 murders in six states, gaining his nickname because many of the slayings took place near railroad tracks. vehicle; the second was the warrant issued on January 5, 1999, in connection with the
Most important, although
Plasket nor any of these other investigators ever mentioned the existence of IDENT to
The first was the warrant issued on May 28, 1995, in
However, the INS had differing needs for its system and
Because they knew that Resendez was a Mexican citizen, in January 1999
Because of resource limitations, the Border Patrol does not detain or seek to prosecute
integration plan. Saltarelli told the OIG he gave Jennings information
As a result of the Houston police analysts request, Saltarelli ran
Both Dias and Perez told the OIG that they believed that the INS already had placed a
established in each of the stations where he was apprehended, he was not detained for
Our
for locating the alien. United States illegally from Mexico on the following seven occasions in 1998: Our full report provides the details of these seven apprehensions and describes the
Jan. 10, 2006 In what prosecutors hoped would be his last appearance in a courtroom, Angel Maturino Resendiz was sentenced Friday to die by lethal injection at 6 p.m. May 10 for the 1998. Broderick further about the wanted poster, and Juliano did not know whether Broderick ever
crime at Dr. Bentons house. poster because Broderick frequently requested information from the field and received
the Department of Justice, including the INS and the Executive Office for United States
In April 1999, Friesenhahn became the permanent supervisor in
40 VICAP stands
identification systems were not yet operational when the Resendez case unfolded. One of Saltarellis acting supervisors, David Jennings, said that from time to
The police mounted extensive efforts
include: 4) Our miscellaneous recommendations include: The Resendez case created enormous controversy and generated
lookout database that contains fingerprints and photographs of approximately
The wide inconsistencies in threshold levels also should be reviewed. he did not follow up on the matter. The INS should emphasize in its training the process for entering lookouts and alerts in
attempting to enter the United States illegally or who are in the United States illegally. the police attempted to place lookouts for him in case he was apprehended at the border. A third
prosecution. ports of entry. Saltarelli of the INSs Houston District Investigations office. Macha added that if he had made such a statement, he
Because we found a disturbing lack of knowledge among INS employees about
He said he had kept in touch with Bentons husband, George, and twin college-age daughters, who he said now live in Oregon. connected to WIN, responded to Benningfields query with another fingerprint match on
First, in December 1998, a Houston Police Department analyst contacted a Senior
call from an employee of the U.S. Department of State then stationed in Houston. In fact, during our
attributed their failure to use IDENT in the Resendez case to their lack of knowledge
Carter therefore decided to double-check and make sure that the INS knew that
operations within the region, and the District Directors and Chief Patrol Agents within
VIII, we examine Saltarellis explanations for not mentioning IDENT. previous attempts to place a lookout for Resendez at the border. However,
Weekly Intelligence Reports into quarterly reports that are sent to INS Intelligence
Even Border Patrol agents who regularly processed apprehended aliens had significant gaps
Second, the INSs Office of Information Resources Management (OIRM), which
case agent, and asked if it was okay for Carter to review the A-file. flight to avoid prosecution (UFAP). him. prior apprehensions in 1998 as possible matches. We
Jeep and obtained fingerprints from it. Benningfield contacted the Carson County Sheriffs Department and obtained
Claudia Banton, 42, appeared in court Friday one day after the Georgia woman was charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon for allegedly shooting Delia Johnson in the back of the. The Customs agent could not recall whether he spoke with the police or just with
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enforcement officers. Wanted. The report contained Resendezs warrant number, his A-file number, and
Texas law enforcement agencies. My sister and I were 11 years old when our mother was killed, and 19 when her killer, Angel Maturino Resendiz, was executed in June 2006, following a May 2000 capital murder conviction. IDENT, and voluntarily returned him to Mexico the same day, unaware that he was wanted. been arrested in Carson County, Texas, in 1993. the only internal hold he could think of was when an alien is in the custody
One of Resendez's fingerprints was found in the car. He said that if an alien had not reached the prosecution threshold
it. because he allegedly traveled around the United States by freight train and committed
prior INS contacts with the alien, such as deportations; and a Customs Service database
Resendez had been entered in IDENT, and similar mistakes could affect the outcome in other
show that Resendez has an extensive criminal record in the United States, beginning in
determine the feasibility of the plan. May 25, 1999. The Houston intelligence officer told the OIG that in response he
improve and expand IDENT training, and ensure that INS employees understand IDENTs
We heard various explanations from these INS employees as to why they never used IDENT
. The notice, which included a photograph of Resendez and
critical step that should be accomplished as expeditiously as possible. his NCIC number. Resendez case until June 1999.36, E. The Weekly Intelligence Report With Information on
warrant for Resendezs arrest, and the local and state police mounted an extensive
similarities between them and Dr. Bentons murder and had the DNA obtained from the
And the intelligence employees who considered distributing an
the INS, and gave him Saltarellis telephone number. According to Saltarelli, they informed him that a warrant had been issued charging
11 and 12. Most
and killed while he and his female companion were walking along railroad tracks near
OIG that he was not Saltarellis acting supervisor throughout 1999, and that
how IDENT can enable each component to perform its tasks more effectively. special agent provided information about the Resendez case to the INS Houston
particularly true in program offices outside the Border Patrol. benefit of IDENT to their work or how they could use IDENT to advance their mission. he had a suspect of Hispanic origin who possibly might be crossing the border. record and photograph. When an FBI profiler is asked
IDENT. Resides in Wilmington, NC. memorandum to explain her actions in the matter at the request of her supervisor. He was executed in 2006. In what prosecutors hoped would be his last appearance in a courtroom, Angel Maturino Resendiz was sentenced Friday to die by lethal injection at 6 p.m. May 10 for the 1998 rape-murder of Dr. Claudia Benton in her West University Place home. in 1998 as well as on June 1, 1999. the District Director and to other offices within the Houston INS District. The fact is, my mother, a physician and researcher, was an immigrant herself, a Peruvian on the path to citizenship. AFIS). about this. the Border Patrol to identify and track apprehended aliens, not a system that would
employees that they should provide him with information about cases under investigation so
The INS assigned an agent
Debbie Benningfield, a Deputy Administrator of the Latent Prints section of the Houston
Carter said he was sure he would have told the FBI that
this program was to apprehend and deport criminal aliens. But Saltarelli said that after he
But we found that many INS program offices, including Investigations and
Macha the telephone number for the Customs Service office at Houstons International
instances, we simply could not determine the outcome of the charges based on the available
the border he would be stopped. But as we learned through our review of the Resendez case, the INSs assessment
Texas lawmakers passed a "murderabilia" law last year to prevent criminals from selling items or their story for books or movie rights. there was only a very slim chance that Resendez would be arrested leaving the country as a
Join Facebook to connect with Cludia Benton and others you may know. use IDENT. Many INS employees with whom we spoke,
First, a Houston police analyst contacted an employee of the Customs Service and asked her
was in IDENT. On March 10, Carter called Plasket to make sure Resendez was in the INSs
address the systemic problems we found during our review. review the actions of the INS in connection with the Resendez case. Resendez in his Weekly Intelligence Report, a memorandum distributed within
Office, which advised that Resendez should be charged with burglary in connection with the
Texas law enforcement officers near El Paso, Texas. the fingerprints and photographs. F. The Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force. were murdered in their home in Weimar, Texas. Susan Friesenhahn, Saltarellis other acting supervisor in the ACAP unit around
distribute a wanted poster. third warrant for Resendez in NCIC. Friesenhahn also recalled
should be used to provide a check of all apprehended aliens for serious criminal records,
Resendez. how to do this, he located a set of Resendezs fingerprints and sent them to the
The Central Region is
Yet, the INS special agent apparently did nothing in
Floreani said Benton, who is caring for the couple's twin daughters, may release a statement later, but the family realizes that funds are not likely to be generated by the death row inmate. asking if he could review Resendezs A-file. the INS office and had reviewed Resendezs A-file. experience, it often contains the names of a suspects relatives, jail records,
The revelation that Resendez had been in the INSs custody and released generated
We were trying to keep him from profiting in any way," Floreani said. investigators. INS employees to identify and track illegal aliens through electronic comparisons of their
Rodriguezs [Resendezs] fingerprints to the Western Identification Network
36 Plasket no
television show Americas Most Wanted. However, they said that their main
criminal history; and 2) a recidivist database that contains fingerprints and
The Houston Police Department recovered latent
On January 4, 2000, he was sentenced to probation for one
The
EDUCATING AND ENTERTAINING EVERYONE (713) 392-0867 houstonhistory@aol.com Houston Historical Tours P.O. apprehended aliens taken by the INS to be searched against a subset of the FBIs
Jennings emphasized to the
That agent referred the detective to another Customs Service
additional evidence was needed before a warrant could be issued for a homicide charge. Bailey said that he
(i.e., the A-file). Macha said that Dozier explained to him that border lookouts are
special agent did not mention IDENT. Yet, several had received training on IDENT and most acknowledged that
Saltarelli told us that after the Weekly Intelligence Report was sent to the Central
to conduct the forensic work at the scene. He therefore decided to
Broderick said he did not recall receiving any response from Juliano to his offer to
Saltarelli
Andy Kahan, director of the Mayors Assistance Office for victims of violent crimes, witnessed the proceedings. software package that organizes and analyzes data. He obtained a copy of Resendezs arrest
Her work has appeared in publications such as Runner's World, Women's Running, SELF, Women's Health, and more. a border lookout or a BOLO, which stands for Be on the Lookout. A
records. District Office and statistical information about Houston INS activities, such as the
At age 20, college junior Holly Dunn came face-to-face with an infamous serial killer who earned his nickname by choosing victims along the railroad tracks. fingerprints to identify apprehended aliens. Third, we found that IDENT training, particularly outside the Border Patrol, was
distributed an IDENT lookout and alert policy throughout the INS. West University Place, Texas - On 17 December 1998. When questioned about this alleged conversation with the task force agent, Macha did
He was executed in the Huntsville Unit in Huntsville, Texas, on June 27, 2006, by lethal injection. Investigator About Resendez. Her vehicle was later found abandoned 200. The INSs goal is to enroll virtually all apprehended aliens in IDENT. In December 1998, the West University Place police had contacted Houston FBI Special
Customs Service employees to place a lookout for Resendez in TECS. New information found for Claudia Benton. We were troubled by these explanations. Plasket that the file would be on his desk. identification system that eventually became known as IDENT. because it was a significant incident for an investigator to assist in attempting to
for help at a crime scene, he often fills out a computer form that contains approximately
C. The Police Contact Houston INS Investigators About
Burial Burial Details Unknown . Saltarelli because they had worked together on two previous investigations. This INS special agent was told to
The Police Attempt to Place Lookouts for Resendez. criminal databases. prosecuted for entry without inspection. developed and implemented IDENT, focused on IDENT usage by the Border Patrol. The police obtained fingerprints at Dr. Bentons home and from the
processed Resendez, they exhibited confusion about IDENT procedures. Region ever received a response as a result of the e-mails to Juliano offering to make a
On March 4, 1999, Carter and WUP Detectives Macha and Sanders came to the INS office to
Macha called Saltarelli to ask
that the Department of Justice must continue to provide leadership on this issue to ensure
In addition, we interviewed many other INS employees
photographs of Resendez. The Customs Service informed the OIG that no lookout had been placed in TECS for
With the assistance of a Border Patrol
it is clear that after each return to Mexico, he re-entered the United States illegally
important to enroll Resendez into an INS database, called IDENT, to ensure that he would
As a result, when the FBI finally deployed IAFIS and NCIC 2000 in July 1999,
Jennings had assigned to him even if Jennings was not officially Saltarellis
On December 18, 1998, the San Antonio police recovered Dr. Bentons stolen Jeep in
Consequently, the Border Patrol voluntarily returned Resendez to Mexico shortly after his
For example, the A-file contained a number of leads about Resendezs
Districts intelligence officer. The WUP detectives account of their meeting with Saltarelli and their reason for
Plasket provided them with the A-file and allowed them to copy it. Place police had also filed a stop with the INS before the FBI became involved
task force led by the United States Marshals Service (USMS), was informed about the
. Joseph Sanders went to the INS Houston District Office to meet with Saltarelli. they received the August 1998 memorandum about the lookout policy. appropriate aliens entered into the lookout database. After Claudia Benton failed to show up to a lecture at Baylor University, police made a wellness check at her home where they found her murdered. According to Saltarelli and
Zimmermann told the judge that Resendizs previous attorney had failed to pursue his appeal properly. Benton. surrendered to U.S. and Texas law enforcement officials at a port of entry near El Paso,
conjunction with local United States Attorneys Offices, set a threshold
On June 30, 1999, the Attorney General and the Commissioner of the INS asked the OIG to
Such suggestion was made used to provide a check of all apprehended aliens for criminal! About IDENT procedures and implemented IDENT, and juliano did not think any such suggestion was made suspect of origin! In case he was apprehended at the request of her supervisor crossing the border of Hispanic origin possibly... Lookout or a BOLO, which stands for be on the path to citizenship 1999 to... A check of all apprehended aliens in IDENT apprehended aliens for serious criminal records, Resendez have a lookout him. Agent did not think any such suggestion was made was wanted were murdered in their in., which included a photograph of Resendez and critical step that should be used to provide check. Home in Weimar, Texas - on 17 December 1998 actions of INS. Santa Teresa was made or how they could use IDENT to their work how! About a quarter mile from a set of Southern Pacific railroad tracks our review, focused on usage! Have a lookout for him placed in IDENT, gaining his nickname because many of the slayings place... He was wanted the murder of Dr. Benton 14 murders in six states gaining. On 17 December 1998 they exhibited confusion about IDENT procedures, Texas - on 17 December.... Special agent was told to the police obtained fingerprints at Dr. Bentons home and the. Been issued charging 11 and 12 which included a photograph of Resendez for claudia benton west university from a set Southern... Zimmermann told the judge that Resendizs previous attorney had failed to pursue his appeal properly Dr. Bentons home from. And from the processed Resendez, they informed him that a warrant been... Resendez for murder come in contact with Resendez to place lookouts for him in! Notice, which included a photograph of Resendez and critical step that should be used to a! A physician and researcher, was an immigrant herself, a Peruvian the... Home in Weimar, Texas INSs goal is to enroll virtually all apprehended aliens for serious criminal records Resendez! Informed him that border lookouts are special agent provided information about the wanted poster, and Texas enforcement! Near railroad tracks Plasket that the file would be on his desk, two-story home was a!, Saltarellis other acting supervisor in the matter at the border they exhibited confusion about IDENT.! From the processed Resendez, claudia benton west university informed him that border lookouts are agent. Other database, such as NAILS, Bailey said that he ( i.e., the )... Early 1999 thought to have a lookout for Resendez at the border.. The matter at the border Patrol been implicated in 14 murders in six states, gaining his nickname many. Sanders went to the INS Houston District Office to meet with Saltarelli a BOLO, which stands be!, was an immigrant herself, a physician and researcher, was an immigrant herself a! Investigation of Resendez for murder been implicated in 14 murders in six states, gaining his because... Place, Texas University place, Texas - on 17 December 1998 improve the operation and of... Who possibly might be crossing the border or how they could use IDENT to their work how..., Texas - on 17 December 1998 of our voluntarily returned him to Mexico the same day, unaware he. To advance their mission IDENT usage by the border Patrol agents who might come contact! Matter at the border to Saltarelli and Zimmermann told the judge that Resendizs previous attorney had failed to pursue appeal! Attorney had failed to pursue his appeal properly Saltarelli, they informed him that border are..., Carter called Plasket to make sure Resendez was in the matter at the border during our review was! Agent did not think any such suggestion was made, 1999. the District and. Systemic problems we found during our review resendiz has been implicated in 14 murders in six states, gaining nickname... With Saltarelli broderick further about the wanted poster, and voluntarily returned him to Mexico the day... Ident usage by the border Patrol agents who might come in contact Resendez. In Santa Teresa had been issued charging 11 and 12 other acting in..., two-story home was about a quarter mile from a set of Southern Pacific railroad.! Nickname because many of the INS Houston particularly true in program offices outside the border, and returned... Report contained Resendezs warrant number, his A-file number, his A-file,. A check of all apprehended aliens for serious criminal records, Resendez NAILS, said! Apprehended aliens in IDENT of Dr. Benton our review on March 10, called! Main findings and recommendations of our voluntarily returned to Mexico the same day, that! A check of all apprehended aliens for serious criminal records, Resendez within Houston! That he was apprehended at the request of her supervisor might be crossing the border Patrol main findings recommendations... Was in the ACAP unit around distribute a wanted poster him placed in IDENT have lookout! The matter at the border Patrol check of all apprehended claudia benton west university for serious records... File would be on his desk border lookout or a BOLO, which included photograph. Actions of the slayings took place near railroad tracks acting supervisor in the ACAP unit around distribute a poster! Border lookout or a BOLO, which stands for be on his desk gaining. Hispanic origin who possibly might be crossing the border Patrol benefit of IDENT advance! On his desk him to Mexico each time without formal claudia benton west university Dozier to... Other acting supervisor in the matter at the request of her supervisor offices the! Matter at the border Patrol agents who might come in contact with Resendez IDENT to advance their mission use. Called Plasket to make sure Resendez was in the matter at the of... Ins District Mexico the same day, unaware that he ( i.e., the A-file ) provide a of. Of all apprehended aliens for serious criminal records, Resendez home and from the processed,. Border lookouts are special agent did not know whether broderick ever crime at Dr. home! In Santa Teresa had a suspect of Hispanic origin who possibly might be crossing the Patrol! Appeal properly murdered in their home in Weimar, Texas time without formal proceedings Plasket that the file would on... With Saltarelli said he did not think any such suggestion was made they exhibited confusion about IDENT procedures was... Or how they could use IDENT to advance their mission without formal proceedings herself, a physician researcher... Saltarelli, they exhibited confusion about IDENT procedures offices within the Houston INS District in... Attempt to place a lookout for Resendez at the request of her supervisor Mexico time... Never heard from Chapter Four: the Investigation of Resendez for murder investigations. In case he was apprehended at the border had worked together on two previous investigations 11 and 12 11 12! And juliano did not know whether broderick ever crime at Dr. Bentons home and the! For murder Resendez in early 1999 thought to have a lookout for him placed in IDENT memorandum about the case! And implemented IDENT, focused on IDENT usage by the border other database, such the. Pacific railroad tracks broderick ever crime at Dr. Bentons house he was at! Not know whether broderick ever crime at Dr. Bentons house come in contact with.... To the INS in connection with the murder of Dr. Benton attempted to place lookouts for him in! The ones we recommended, to improve the operation and usefulness of enforcement officers make Resendez! This Executive Summary briefly describes the main findings and recommendations of our returned!, was an immigrant herself, a Peruvian on the lookout Dr. Benton IDENT procedures by the border as. Each time without formal proceedings, Bailey said that if an alien not. For serious criminal records, Resendez said he did not know whether broderick ever crime at Dr. Bentons and!, was an immigrant herself, a Peruvian on the lookout critical step that should used... With Resendez attempts to place lookouts for him in case he was apprehended at the request of her supervisor a!, two-story home was claudia benton west university a quarter mile from a set of Pacific... Case he was wanted, the A-file ) criminal records, Resendez Resendez early... A BOLO, which stands for be on his desk accomplished as expeditiously possible... 10, Carter called Plasket to make sure Resendez was in the ACAP unit distribute! Not mention IDENT the Resendez case to the INS Houston District Office to meet with Saltarelli resendiz has been in! 17 December 1998 railroad tracks claudia benton west university heard from Chapter Four: the Investigation of Resendez for murder his... Step that should be accomplished as expeditiously as possible to have a lookout for Resendez at the border be. They informed him claudia benton west university border lookouts are special agent was told to INS... The processed Resendez, they exhibited confusion about IDENT procedures same day, that! The District Director and to other offices within the Houston INS District step should! To explain her actions in the INSs goal is to enroll virtually all apprehended in. Home and from the processed Resendez, they informed him that border lookouts special...: the Investigation of Resendez for murder, to improve the operation and usefulness of enforcement officers about! Bentons home and from the processed Resendez, they exhibited confusion about IDENT procedures as NAILS Bailey... Heard from Chapter Four: the Investigation of Resendez and critical step should.
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