Man Arrested in Connection with Rape and Murder of 5-Year-Old Returns to the U.S.

A man who was previously listed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list has been brought back to Philadelphia after his arrest related to the rape and murder of a 5-year-old girl in 2000, as reported by authorities.

Alexis Flores, 51, was sought for the murder of Iriana DeJesus when he was captured in Honduras in February after evading capture for several years, according to WTFX-TV.

He has since been extradited to Philadelphia and faces criminal charges related to the girl’s death, as stated by the TV station.

“The return of Alexis Flores to Philadelphia shows our steadfast dedication to pursuing fugitives no matter where they attempt to hide, regardless of how much time has passed,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia office, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Authorities reported that Flores faces multiple charges, including kidnapping, murder, and rape, as noted in the newspaper.

Iriana was reported missing in Philadelphia in July 2000, with her body discovered a few days later in an empty apartment above a local store in the city. Evidence indicated that the girl had been raped and strangled, according to authorities.

Flores was named a suspect in her murder approximately seven years later, in 2007, and he was sought by the FBI, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

His connection to the crime was established through DNA evidence collected during a separate arrest in Arizona that linked him to the 2000 crime scene, as reported by WTFX-TV.

When Flores’ name was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in June 2007, he was already in Honduras, where he had been previously deported, as indicated by the TV station.

After his arrest in Honduras in February, Iriana’s mother, Lizasuain DeJesus, referred to her daughter as an “angel,” according to the TV station.

“I know she’s an angel,” DeJesus expressed. “She was an angel before. She became an angel the moment she was murdered and will continue to be my angel watching over us.”

“For over 25 years, Iriana’s family has endured an unfathomable loss while awaiting this day,” stated Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, as reported by WTFX-TV. “Alexis Flores may have crossed borders and spent decades evading accountability, but our commitment to Iriana and her family has never wavered. His return to Philadelphia is the result of remarkable perseverance by our homicide investigators, the FBI, and our international partners in Honduras.”

“We are profoundly thankful to everyone who played a role in bringing him back to face justice,” Bethel’s statement continued. “Iriana was only five years old. We have never forgotten her, and we never will.”

It remains unclear whether Flores has secured legal representation.