Illegal immigrant accused of killing Florida sheriff's deputy in line of duty

A sergeant at St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office in Florida was killed by an 18-year-old homeless illegal migrant worker from Guatemala, officials said. 

"Sergeant Michael Kunovich was killed in the line of duty by an illegal immigrant who took advantage of our open border," Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeted Friday. "Our prayers go out to the Kunovich family. ... Joe Biden’s reckless immigration policies are deadly – it is no way to run a country."

St. Johns County Sheriff's Office said Kunovich attempted to pat down Vergilio Aguilar Mendez on the evening of May 19, when the suspect attempted to flee. Additional deputies arrived at the scene and Mendez "continued to violently resist" arrest for more than six minutes, officials said. 

After Mendez was handcuffed, he produced a pocket knife that deputies forcefully removed. Moments later, Kunovich collapsed from "medical distress," received lifesaving measures and died, Sheriff Robert Hardwick said, according to The Florida Times Union.

Kunovich, 52, was a 25-year veteran of the sheriff's department. 

Homeland Security Investigations is assisting in the investigation, the sheriff's office said.

Mendez's arrest report states that he was afraid of being sent back to Guatemala, which is why he resisted the pat down outside of a motel, per the Times Union. Mendez is listed by law enforcement as a homeless migrant worker from Colotenango, Guatemala and documents state that he is between 5-foot-2 to 5-foot-4 and 115 to 130 pounds.

Mendez is being held without bail and was charged with resisting an officer with violence and murder while engaged in resisting an officer, according to jail records.

DeSantis has made stopping illegal immigration one of his top priorities as governor and he has carried on that stance into his 2024 presidential campaign.

Madeleine Hubbard is an international correspondent for Just the News. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.