U-S Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Friday afternoon that an illegal immigrant charged in a crash that killed a young Council Bluffs woman nine years ago and later fled the country will be extradited back to the United States.
“Today, the Trump Administration is announcing the extradition of Sarah’s killer from Honduras to the United States to face justice once and for all,” Rubio said in a post on X. “Thank you to the Honduran government for their cooperation and assistance.”
Root had just graduated from Bellevue University when she was killed in a car crash in 2016 near 33rd and ‘L’ in south Omaha. Investigators believe Eswin Mejia, was in the United States illegally, was driving under the influence and slammed into the back or Root’s car. After a judge allowed Mejia to post bond he fled country.
Governor Jim Pillen and Lieutenant Governor Joe Kelly say they are encouraged that the pursuit for justice for Root and her family is taking another significant step forward. “We are grateful to the large team of federal, state and Honduran officials, as well as to state public servants who also had a hand in the capture of Mejia,” they said in a statement. “Over nine long years, law enforcement officers never gave up on the search for Root’s killer. We thank Secretary of State Marco Rubio for his efforts to ensure that Mejia will be extradited back to the United States.”