EXCLUSIVE: ICE files detainer on Mexican national who allegedly ambushed, shot his wife in Washington state

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has filed a charge of Murder in the First Degree against Mexican national Hector Gonzalez Medina, 43, for the fatal shooting of his wife, Hana Gonzalez, early Monday morning in Shoreline, Washington.

According to court documents obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, Gonzalez Medina hid under a tree for nearly 40 minutes waiting for his wife before ambushing her as she entered her vehicle. Prosecutors say he fired multiple shots through the passenger window, reloaded, and continued shooting even after she was mortally wounded.

The firearm used in the killing, a homemade 9mm pistol with no serial number, was later found hidden in a cemetery. Eleven shell casings were recovered at the scene.

Investigators with the King County Sheriff’s Office used interpreters and the Language Line service to communicate with Gonzalez Medina, who primarily speaks Spanish. “We had to conduct all interviews and Miranda warnings through interpreters to ensure understanding,” said Det. Sarah Gerlitz, who led the investigation. “That added layers of complexity to an already devastating case.”

Following the shooting, Gonzalez Medina contacted relatives in Mexico, telling his sister that he had “made the worst mistake of his life” and was planning to return there with his children. His mother and sister both reside in Mexico, and prosecutors have cited these international family ties as a flight risk in their request for $5 million bail.

“This case underscores the challenges law enforcement faces when language and international connections create additional barriers to swift justice,” said Senior Deputy Prosecutor Logan Bryant. “We are committed to ensuring accountability for domestic violence regardless of cultural or language obstacles.”

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged Gonzalez Medina with Murder in the First Degree with a domestic violence enhancement and a firearm enhancement, carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years if convicted.

“This was a premeditated and deeply personal act of violence,” said Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion. “We will continue to work closely with interpreters, community advocates, and international partners to ensure that language or borders do not impede justice.”

A US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson told The Ari hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, "ICE lodged a detainer with King County against Hector Gonzalez Medina, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, on Nov. 6. If the county does the right thing for public safety by honoring the ICE detainer, we’ll be sure to hold Gonzalez accountable for immigration violations and enter him into removal proceedings."

Washington state and King County are so-called "sanctuary jurisdictions" and often refuse to cooperate with ICE. It remains to be seen if King County will honor the detainer.

ICE told Hoffman on background that it "lodges immigration detainers against aliens who have been arrested for criminal activity and taken into custody by state or local law enforcement. An immigration detainer is a request from ICE to state or local law enforcement agencies to notify ICE as early as possible before a removable alien is released from their custody. Detainers request that state or local law enforcement agencies maintain custody of the alien for a period not to exceed 48 hours beyond the time the individual would otherwise be released from criminal custody, allowing ICE to assume custody for removal purposes in accordance with federal law."

"Detainers are critical public safety tools because they focus enforcement resources on removable aliens who have been arrested for criminal activity, such as homicide, armed robbery, assault, and sexual assault against women and children, and other egregious crimes. Detainers increase the safety of all parties involved, such as ICE officers, law enforcement officials, the removable alien and the public, because it allows ICE to arrest these individuals in a secure and controlled custodial setting as opposed to at-large where a criminal alien can continue harming the community in which they would have otherwise been released. Additionally, detainers conserve scarce government resources by allowing ICE to take criminal aliens into custody directly rather than expending resources locating these aliens at-large."