Ike Nicholas Souzer, a 20-year-old from Southern California previously convicted for the murder of his mother during his teenage years, was apprehended in Mexico after absconding from a halfway house, breaching his probation terms. U.S. and Mexican authorities located Souzer in Rosarito and extradited him back to California.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office had issued warnings about Souzer’s potential danger to the public following his escape. Souzer had completed his sentence for the 2017 murder and was recently released from custody on March 20 after serving time for vandalism, with an additional probation period of two years imposed by the court.
This incident marks the second instance of Souzer fleeing a halfway house; the previous occurrence was in 2022 when he escaped from a Santa Ana facility, later being found by the police.
District Attorney Todd Spitzer criticized the judicial system for not imposing stricter penalties on Souzer, despite efforts by prosecutors to ensure his incarceration. Souzer’s defense in the manslaughter case claimed self-defense, citing a history of abuse.
In addition to the manslaughter conviction, Souzer faces charges for assaulting correctional officers, possessing a weapon in jail, and vandalism. He had also previously escaped from a juvenile detention center in 2019.
Source: ABC News
