Man accused of killing Georgia mother was reportedly in the US illegally
WSB, FAMILY HANDOUTCCSO, CNN
By Hanna Park, Zoe Sottile and Matthew Rehbein, CNN
(CNN) — A 21-year-old man from Honduras accused of killing a mother of five in an Atlanta suburb was in the United States illegally, CNN affiliate WSB-TV reported, citing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Hector Sagastume Rivas crossed the US border illegally just over four years ago, an ICE spokesperson told WSB-TV. US Border Patrol arrested him initially, and an order for him to be removed from the country was issued more than two years later, in July 2023.
CNN has reached out to ICE, the Department of Homeland Security and the Cobb County Police Department for further details. CNN is also working to identify an attorney for Sagastume Rivas.
Sagastume Rivas faces a felony murder charge in the death of Camillia Williams in Marietta, according to an arrest warrant obtained by WSB. Police accuse Sagastume Rivas of killing Williams late on March 11 or early on March 12 by first placing her in a chokehold, then kneeling on her neck with his “full body weight,” according to the warrant.
The 52-year-old’s body was found in a wooded area, hidden under a bush, on March 13. Sagastume Rivas was arrested five days later. He is being held without bond.
Williams, a mother of five and a grandmother, was originally from Louisiana, according to CNN affiliate WANF. Her death has left her family searching for answers.
Her brother Arsene Williams told WSB Camillia had expressed fear about a man she believed was following her in the days leading up to her death.
“She called the dude a weirdo and from my understanding, he pretty much waited until he caught her by herself and did what he done,” Arsene Williams said.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a statement lamenting how Williams was “brutally taken from this world” and promised the state would seek justice for her killing.
“Those who commit acts of violence against our people will face the full weight of our justice system, and if they are here illegally, we will not hesitate to work with our federal partners to ensure their removal from our state and country,” Kemp said.
ICE issued a similar statement, telling WSB, “Criminal aliens who pose a threat to public safety should not be free to endanger communities. ICE remains committed to working with law enforcement partners to apprehend and remove those who break our laws.”
ICE has lodged an immigration detainer with the Cobb County Jail to ensure that Sagastume Rivas remains in custody for removal proceedings, according to WSB.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
