Dominican national Luis Francisco Soriano, who allegedly slaughtered an entire family including two small children in New York, was finally captured at a luxury resort in Punta Cana after an international manhunt that spanned multiple countries.
Key Takeaways
- Luis Francisco Soriano, 31, was arrested in the Dominican Republic after fleeing the U.S. following the murders of four people, including two children ages 2 and 4, in Irondequoit, New York.
- Soriano and his brother, Julio Cesar Pimentel-Soriano, are both charged in the horrific family massacre that occurred on August 31, 2024, which also involved setting the victims’ home on fire.
- The fugitive evaded authorities by first fleeing to Puerto Rico before hiding in the Dominican Republic, where he was working at a hotel call center in Punta Cana.
- U.S. Marshals collaborated with Dominican authorities to capture Soriano, highlighting the international effort required to bring violent foreign criminals to justice.
- Soriano faces multiple charges including second-degree murder, burglary, kidnapping, and arson, and is expected to be extradited to the United States.
Family Massacre Shocks New York Community
On August 31, the community of Irondequoit, New York was devastated when Fraime Ubaldo, Marangely Moreno Santiago, and their two young children, Evangeline and Sebastián, were found murdered in their burning home. The victims included two innocent children aged just 2 and 4 years old. Investigators quickly identified two Dominican cousins of Ubaldo as suspects: Julio Cesar Pimentel-Soriano, who was arrested shortly after the killings, and his brother Luis Francisco Soriano, who managed to flee the country, triggering an international manhunt that would span multiple countries.
“Every case is important to us, but this one not only deeply impacted our communities in New York and Puerto Rico, it shook our entire nation. The horrific nature of this crime, which resulted in the tragic death of a family, including two innocent children, rocked the very foundation of our society governed by law and order,” said Wilmer Ocasio-Ibarra, U.S. Marshal for the District of Puerto Rico.
International Manhunt Tracks Suspect to Luxury Resort
After committing the murders, Luis Francisco Soriano, also known as Jefry Yevo, executed a calculated escape plan to evade American justice. He initially fled to Puerto Rico before making his way to the Dominican Republic, where he believed he could blend in and escape prosecution. In a stunning development, U.S. Marshals tracked Soriano to a luxury resort in Punta Cana, where he had secured employment at the hotel’s call center. Authorities arrested him “without incident after he completed his shift at the hotel’s call center.”
“Without a doubt, this is an exceptional job by the Deputy U.S. Marshals of the U.S. Marshals Service, both nationally and internationally. It is truly worthy of recognition, and our communities should feel reassured knowing that this fugitive has been captured and will face justice,” said Wilmer Ocasio-Ibarra.
Foreign Criminals and Border Security Concerns
The arrest of Soriano raises serious questions about border security and the presence of potentially dangerous foreign nationals in American communities. Both suspects in this case have significant criminal histories, with Soriano’s brother Pimentel-Soriano already wanted for a 2019 murder in the Dominican Republic before allegedly participating in the New York massacre. This case illustrates the dangerous consequences of insufficient vetting and monitoring of foreign nationals with violent criminal histories who manage to enter and remain in the United States.
While Soriano awaits extradition to face multiple charges of second-degree murder alongside drug-related accusations, his brother Pimentel-Soriano remains in custody without bail after pleading not guilty. The gruesome nature of this crime – murdering an entire family including small children and then setting their home ablaze – demonstrates the extreme violence some criminal foreign nationals are willing to inflict on American communities. The successful international manhunt represents a rare victory in a justice system that too often fails to prevent such tragedies before they occur.
