KDSN RADIO News
Honduran charged with 2016 murder of Iowan extradited to Omaha
The Honduran man charged with killing an Iowa woman in 2016 is back in the United States, where he will stand trial for Sarah Root’s death.
Iowa Senator Joni Ernst was at the Omaha airport when Eswin Mejia arrived late this afternoon. “He will now face justice for taking the life of a young Iowan over nine years ago,” Ernst said during an online news conference early this evening.
Twenty-one-year-old Sarah Root of Council Bluffs, who had just graduated from college hours earlier, was stopped at a red light in Omaha when her vehicle was struck and she died at the scene. Meija, who was in the country illegally, was arrested and accused of drunk driving. He posted a $5000 bond, was released, and disappeared.
On February 27th of this year, Honduras officials notified the Trump Administration they had Meija in custody and he was extradited to the U.S. today.
“Thankfully the Trump Administration never ever forgot Sarah Root’s story. Together we fought for justice to hold the illegal immigrant who took her life accountable,” Ernst said. “…Now Mejia will face the consequences of his actions.”
Ernst notified the Root family earlier today that Meija was being flown to the U.S. and she spoke with Sarah Root’s mother, Michelle.
“I have never heard her sound this strong and this good. She was very, very excited to know that Mejia was going to be touching down here on U.S. soil,” Ernst told reporters this evening. “…This has been nine years in the making. She was just very elated…and so thankful that we never, ever gave up on finding Eswin Mejia.”
Trump met with Root’s mother and her father, Scott Root, in mid-2016 and Trump talked about their daughter’s death on the campaign trail. The first bill Trump signed into law this year includes what’s called “Sarah’s Law.” It requires authorities to detain any illegal immigrant who is accused of murdering or seriously injuring someone in the U.S. Ernst and other members of Iowa’s congressional delegation had sponsored the legislation for the past eight years.
“While it’s too late for Sarah, the Roots can rest knowing that Sarah’s killer will be held accountable and this administration is taking action to prevent this from happening to someone else’s daughter,” Ernst said.
Meija is being held in Omaha. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted photos of Meija’s flight on social media and wrote that President Trump is “putting the safety of Americans first” and will no longer allow “murderers and criminal illegal aliens to be released into American communities.”
