The manhunt for a convicted felon deemed "extremely dangerous and violent" by the Orange County District Attorney has ended with his capture in Mexico, officials confirmed. Ike Nicholas Souzer, 20, previously warned against by DA Todd Spitzer for his violent history, was apprehended in Rosarito by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in cooperation with Mexican authorities, based on intel from the DA's undercover AB 109 Task Force.
Souzer, who at the age of 13 was convicted of killing his mother, was arrested after walking away from a Santa Ana halfway house where he had been placed following a sentence for felony vandalism. The DA's office aired their frustrations multiple times over courts giving Souzer "break after break," only to see him continue to flout the law. In a statement obtained by the Orange County DA's website, Spitzer criticized lenient decisions that saw the criminal given opportunities for reform, which he did not seize.
After his capture last week, Souzer was swiftly returned to Orange County custody. His checkered past includes assault of correctional officers and the manufacture and possession of a shank while in jail. His recent escapades began just days following his January release for graffiti in Orange when he provided a false name to officers. Following his formal probation set post-vandalism charge, Souzer failed to report to his probation officer, triggering the latest search that ended in Mexico.
DA Spitzer's office has long battled for tougher sentencing, objecting to a 90-day credit time served sentence handed down by Superior Court Judge Larry Yellin. Souzer's pathway through the legal system had seen his felony charges reduced and his sentences shortened, earlier objections by prosecutors notwithstanding. "This is not someone who deserves a break; he has turned every opportunity to turn over a new leaf into a new opportunity to break the law and defy law enforcement," Spitzer told the Orange County DA's website. His recapture, following a previous escape in April 2022, underscores a history of challenging authority and escaping consequences, until now.
Officials from an array of law enforcement agencies, including Orange and Anaheim Police Departments, Orange County Sheriff's Department, and U.S. Border Patrol, were instrumental in the search and apprehend operation. Their collaboration highlighted the persistent and considerable efforts to neutralize a persistent threat to community safety.
