The man charged with murdering a Michigan woman was deported from the United States during the Trump administration, Immigration and Customers Enforcement (ICE) have confirmed. 

Brandon Ortiz-Vite, 25, was arrested by Michigan State Police over the murder of Ruby Garcia, also 25, earlier this week. He is alleged to have left her body on U.S. 131 in downtown Grand Rapids.

He was consequently charged with numerous offenses, including murder, carjacking, felony firearm, illegally carrying a concealed weapon, operating while intoxicated, and driving on a suspended or revoked license. 

Law enforcement refused to provide details on Ortiz-Vite, although it was reported that he was an illegal immigrant.

ICE officials have since revealed that he was deported from the country in September 2020 under the Trump administration and re-entered the country at an unknown date.

BREAKING: Brandon Ortiz-Vite, a man who is in our country illegally, was just arrested for the m*rder of 25-year-old Ruby Garcia from Michigan.

SAY HER NAME!

Ruby’s life mattered!

Her family started a gofundme to help cover funeral expenses: https://t.co/O39076WAId

Source:… pic.twitter.com/ax8OBgfbcc

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 25, 2024

“He was ordered removed by an immigration judge with the Justice Department’s Executive Office of Immigration Review Sept. 24, 2020, and was removed to Mexico Sept. 29, 2020,” the ICE official said. “At an unknown date and location Ortiz-Vite reentered the United States without inspection by an immigration official.”

According to The New York Post, the victim and suspect knew one another and had planned to meet up ahead of her murder: 

Text messages recovered from Garcia’s cellphone, which was found near her body last week, showed that she and Ortiz-Vite planned to meet at her home on the night of her killing, according to the court records obtained by Fox 17.

Under questioning, Ortiz-Vite allegedly admitted to shooting Garcia several times during an argument inside her car, the outlet said. There was no immediate word on what caused their initial fight.

The suspect allegedly said Garcia was sitting in the driver’s seat and he was in the passenger seat during the shooting. After the initial barrage of gunfire, Ortiz-Vite got out of the car, walked around and shot the woman once more, thinking she was still alive, according to the documents.

Ortiz-Vite allegedly admitted to pulling Garcia’s body out of the car, dumping it on the side of the freeway and driving away, Fox 17 said.

“This is another case of domestic violence homicide, that we’ve seen, frankly, far too often over the past few years,” Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said at a press conference on Tuesday. 

Speaking to The Midwesterner, Ruby's sister Mavi Garcia described her as a wonderful person: 

She would brighten up the room with her beautiful smile and laugh. She loved to travel, was dedicated to her work and enjoyed being with her family on her free time.

She was a great daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She will be remembered as being full of life and laughter, those who were around her would know she was silly and made everyone laugh. Her loss has impacted the lives of many people. Her life was taken too soon. She deserved to live life, travel the world, have kids and follow her dreams.

The family have since set up a GoFundMe to raise funds for Ruby's funeral and "help give her the service she deserves."