HAYWARD (KRON) — Immigration officials have confirmed to KRON that the man arrested for killing 22-year-old Stacey Aguilar in Hayward is an undocumented immigrant.

KRON’s J.R. Stone broke the story just before KRON News at 8 p.m.

Sources told KRON that Esmid Valentine Pedraza, 23, is from Mexico and is in the United States illegally.

On Wednesday, KRON broke the news of the arrest of Pedraza, who is charged with the murder of his former girlfriend Aguilar. On Thursday KRON dug deeper. 

Immigration officials confirm to KRON that Pedraza has been in immigration proceedings. This after ICE officials received word that he was convicted of DUI in Alameda county in 2013.

ONLY ON KRON: Close friend of Aguilar speaks

The body of Pedraza’s former girlfriend was found with multiple gunshot wounds in a rural area of Fremont. Officers believe Pedraza is to blame.

Officials tell KRON that Pedraza had already been on a Priority 2 list which labels recent illegal entrants.

ICE has released a statement regarding the most recent case saying:

“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has lodged a formal request with the Alameda County Jail seeking to have the jail notify ICE prior to Mr. Pedraza’s release so the agency can arrange to take him into custody to pursue possible follow-up immigration enforcement action.”

Pedraza has faced at least three arrests for murder, domestic violence, and DUI.

The new revelations about the Hayward homicide are similar to what we learned about the shooting death of Kate Steinle on San Francisco’s Pier 14.

Francisco Sanchez was arrested last year for the murder of the 32-year old woman. The shooting sparked a national debate over illegal immigration when it was revealed Sanchez was in the country illegally.

After being released from a San Francisco jail because of the city’s sanctuary laws, he was released despite a request from federal immigrations authorities to keep him in custody.

Sanchez had previously been deported five times back to Mexico.

Last month, his lawyer asked a judge to dismiss the murder charge saying the shooting was an accident.

Attorneys will argue the matter on March 24.