Key facts
- Joaquin Escoto appeared in court on charges of triple homicide.
- Escoto is accused of killing a 2-week-old baby, the child's mother, and grandmother.
- Escoto is a Mexican national who allegedly entered the US illegally in 2018 and has multiple prior arrests.
- Federal officials stated ICE had lodged a detainer against Escoto after a prior arrest, but he was released.
- Officials criticized California's sanctuary policies in relation to the case.
Joaquin Escoto, 28, appeared in Stanislaus County Superior Court on charges of first-degree murder and child endangerment in the deaths of 23-year-old Fabiola Gonzalez-Nunez, her newborn son Mateo Gonzalez, and 54-year-old Sylvia Nunez-Villalobos. Escoto, a Mexican national who allegedly entered the U.S. illegally in 2018 and has accumulated multiple arrests including four DUIs, reportedly smiled during the proceedings. Federal officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had lodged a detainer against Escoto following a June 2025 DUI arrest, but he was released without ICE being notified. DHS officials criticized California's sanctuary policies, suggesting the homicides could have been prevented if Escoto had been transferred to federal custody. Relatives of the victims expressed their grief and confusion over the tragedy. Escoto remains in jail without bail and is scheduled for his next court appearance on July 28.