A Venezuelan man, Marcos Iriarte-Valdez, has been charged with murdering 68-year-old Todd Stewart in Martinez, California, after he was reportedly released from custody by a judge the previous day. The case has prompted renewed criticism of California’s pre-trial release decisions and immigration-enforcement policies, with federal officials seeking custody of the suspect.

Stewart was allegedly stabbed while gardening outside his home. Iriarte-Valdez had been facing separate residential burglary allegations and was released under pre-trial conditions; he is now held on a high bail amount while the murder case proceeds, and the Department of Homeland Security has asked California authorities to transfer him to federal custody.