Authorities stated this week that a California man convicted of murdering his mother was caught in Mexico after leaving a transitional facility without warning.
According to authorities and court documents, Ike Nicholas Souzer, 20, was arrested Friday for breaking probation by failing to notify his probation officer and stay in the area.
Even though Souzer was on probation for vandalism, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer warned on March 21, the day after he left a Santa Ana transitional facility, that "This individual should be considered extremely dangerous and violent."
Souzer was convicted of voluntary manslaughter for stabbing his mother to death when he was 13, and for attacking three jail guards when he was 17 or 18. Once in detention, Souzer was convicted of possessing a weapon, a shank, in late 2022, the DA's office stated Wednesday.
Souzer was found in Playas de Rosarito, a beach community south of Tijuana, the DA said. The arrest was credited to Mexican officials, CBP, Border Patrol, and the office's fugitive task team.
Public defenders have previously represented Souzer. They did not reply to a request for comment. During his juvenile court manslaughter prosecution, a family member indicated Souzer was autistic and had outbursts, according to the DA's office. The DA's office claimed Souzer has an extensive criminal history and was on home detention and wearing a GPS monitor when he attacked his mother.
The office alleged Souzer violated probation when he left the same transitional organization in 2022 while under required GPS monitoring for the weapons conviction. The DA's task force found Souzer at a homeless encampment, the statement said Wednesday.
"Judges do their best to exercise their discretion to strike the right balance," she wrote. "Criticizing is easy when one does not have to make these difficult decisions. And such criticism ignores the tremendous work judges do every day for hundreds of Californians seeking justice in our courts." The DA noted that Project Kinship "spent years advocating for Souzer’s release from custody."
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