Alexis Antonio Cedillos-Campos, a 19-year-old from El Salvador who entered the U.S. illegally in April 2024, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder following the fatal stabbing and attempted burning of 42-year-old Carmen Lizet Puch in Fairfax County, Virginia.
The investigation began just before 7 a.m. on Monday, August 17, 2026, when a jogger discovered a woman lying unconscious in the parking lot of Difficult Run Park along Georgetown Pike near Great Falls. The victim, identified as 42-year-old Carmen Lizet Puch of Reston, was pronounced dead at the scene in the parking area along the 8800 block of Georgetown Pike. Investigators found her near her dark red 2011 Honda Civic, suffering from numerous and brutal stab wounds.
Within 48 hours, Fairfax County police detectives identified a suspect, tracked him across state lines, and secured what authorities described as a complete admission of guilt. The case quickly drew federal scrutiny regarding immigration enforcement after the Department of Homeland Security confirmed the suspect’s legal status.
Restaurant Coworkers, an Intimate Relationship, and a Premeditated Attack
Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis revealed details of the homicide during a Wednesday press conference, outlining a calculated sequence of events. Investigators established that Cedillos-Campos and Puch worked together at a restaurant and shared an intimate relationship.
Police obtained surveillance footage from the establishment showing the suspect preparing for the attack during the early morning hours on Monday. According to Chief Davis, video footage captured the suspect arming himself with a large fixed-blade knife, taking a pair of black latex gloves, and grabbing a water bottle before leaving the premises.
Investigators stated that Cedillos-Campos emptied the water bottle and refilled it with gasoline siphoned from his own motorcycle. Police believe the two individuals intentionally met at the park, where the victim was repeatedly stabbed inside the driver’s seat of her car before her body was found outside the vehicle.
The Attempted Burning and Subsequent Confession
The brutality of the assault extended beyond the knife wounds. Police confirmed that after the stabbing, the killer doused the victim in gasoline and tried to set her on fire using the fuel siphoned earlier from his motorcycle. Chief Davis noted that the attempt to burn the body was unsuccessful.
Following a rapid cross-jurisdictional manhunt involving the U.S. Marshals Service and the Prince George’s County Police Department, Cedillos-Campos was taken into custody without incident in Maryland. During subsequent questioning by homicide detectives, the suspect offered a full confession for what transpired.
Chief Davis expressed strong condemnation of the crime during the press briefing, stating that no one deserves to be treated the way the victim was treated and calling the actions reprehensible.
Federal Scrutiny Over Immigration Status
The arrest immediately drew a sharp response from federal immigration authorities. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Cedillos-Campos is from El Salvador and was captured and released by border patrol agents in April 2024 after illegally crossing into the U.S. near El Paso, Texas.
In a pointed statement issued to news outlets, DHS officials criticized federal border policies implemented under the current administration, arguing that unvetted illegal aliens had been recklessly released into American communities.
Impact on the Victim’s Family and Ongoing Investigation
Beyond the legal and political dimensions of the case, police emphasized the personal tragedy left in the wake of the killing. Carmen Lizet Puch was a mother to a 3-year-old girl. Authorities confirmed that the suspect has no biological connection to the child, who is currently being cared for by members of the victim’s family.
Investigators continue to examine the underlying motives behind the attack. Chief Davis noted that detectives are working to untangle the many layers of motive that exist when two people are involved in a relationship, including whether other personal relationships factored into the confrontation.
Police are actively searching for a black sedan that the suspect may have operated while traveling to and from the crime scene. Anyone possessing surveillance footage or information regarding activity around Difficult Run Park at approximately 7 a.m. on Monday is urged to contact Fairfax County police.
