Fairfax County police have arrested a 23-year-old undocumented immigrant from El Salvador in connection with a fatal shooting in Reston, a case that has intensified scrutiny of local prosecutorial decisions and broader debates over criminal justice and immigration enforcement.
Authorities identified the suspect as Marvin Fernando Morales-Ortez, who was taken into custody Wednesday evening after a concentrated search following the discovery of a deceased adult male inside a residence in the 12300 block of Fan Shell Court. Police recovered a handgun believed to be the murder weapon near the scene.
Officers responded to the shooting and deployed multiple specialized units, including aviation support, drones, K-9 teams, and the Real Time Crime Center, as they searched for the suspect. Several nearby schools were placed on lockdown during the operation. After nearly two hours, officers located Morales-Ortez in a wooded creek area behind Breton Court, roughly a mile from the crime scene, and arrested him without further incident.
Public records show Morales-Ortez had a lengthy history of encounters with the Fairfax County criminal justice system, with at least seven prior charges dating back to 2020, including allegations of malicious wounding, brandishing a firearm, and a 2021 first-degree murder charge, most of which were dismissed earlier this week by leftwing Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano. His only conviction, a theft charge, resulted in an unpaid fine.
FAIRFAX COUNTY HOMICIDE SUSPECT CONFIRMED TO BE IN THE US ILLEGALLY FROM EL SALVADOR, HAD NUMEROUS PRIORS 🚨
"On December 17, Marvin Fernando Morales-Ortez, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador with prior criminal charges for assaulting law enforcement/first responders… https://t.co/jAQvwFF4lr pic.twitter.com/Qfl8kRr1sd
— The DC MD VA Live (@TheDMVLive) December 18, 2025
The case is just another instance of a Soros-backed DA putting local communities at risk with their pro-crime policies. Campaign finance records indicate that a political action committee backed by billionaire donor George Soros was a major contributor to Descano’s initial election campaign, providing substantial financial support that helped propel his candidacy in the 2019 Democratic primary for commonwealth’s attorney in Fairfax County. The Soros-funded Justice and Public Safety PAC, along with allied groups, has spent millions nationwide to support not arresting criminals. The billionaire is allegedly currently being investigated for breaking election laws.
The arrest of Morales-Ortez has also reignited debate over Fairfax County’s so-called “trust policy,” enacted in February 2025, which limits voluntary cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. Federal officials have cited the policy as a contributing factor that prevented earlier immigration enforcement, a point that has amplified tensions between local and national discussions on public safety and immigration. Amid ongoing investigations into this homicide, detectives are working to establish a motive, and authorities have urged anyone with relevant information to contact the Fairfax County Police Department.
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