Illegal immigrant arrested for killing girlfriend, 2 children in California house fire after being deported 3 times

An illegal immigrant who has been deported three times was arrested in connection with a devastating house fire that killed a mother of two of her three children last month. He had been dating the mother at the time, however, he did not father the children killed.

Jose Carmen Cardona, a 59-year-old illegal immigrant was arrested on Friday in California. The fire claimed the lives of 32-year-old Lisbeth Gutierrez-Salazar and two of her sons, aged 10 and 7, who were asleep in their mobile home when the blaze was allegedly set by Cardona. Police revealed that Cardona had been dating Gutierrez-Salazar and had been deported three times from the US prior, per Fox News.



After the incident, Cardona fled the area. He was arrested 30 miles from the scene after a warrant was issued for his capture. He now faces multiple charges, including murder, attempted murder, child endangerment, and special circumstances allegations of multiple murders, arson, and torture.

The charges make him eligible for the death penalty. Lasha Boyden, US Marshal for the Eastern District of California, referred to Cardona as a “violent offender” and expressed condolences to the victims' family. "I hope that the capture of this violent offender will bring some sense of justice to you and your loved ones," Boyden stated in a news conference on Friday. "This horrific act of violence was felt by all not just in the Central Valley but across our nation."

Cardona is being held without bail at the San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp, California. His arraignment is set for Monday.