Limber Lopez Funez was a 15-year-old boy who went missing in Frederick, Maryland, and who was found deceased in the area of Gambrill State Park. Police have accused a group of non-citizen men they say are present illegally in the United States – including MS-13 gang members – in connection with his murder.
According to a news release from Frederick police, five suspects are accused in connection with the murder: Alexis Alfredo Ayala Lopez (DOB: 09-20-2001); Jose Roberto Ramos Lopez (DOB: 02-24-2000); Ismael Lopez Lopez (DOB: 06-06-1993); Elmer Bladimir Reyes Reyes (DOB: 06-01-1995); and Ismael Ivan Rivera Canales (DOB: 12-14-2002).
“On May 26, the Frederick Police Department arrested five male offenders and processed four of them in connection to the murder of Limber Lopez Funez, age 15, from Frederick. Officers processed the fifth in connection to attempted murder charges on another case,” the Frederick County Sheriff’s Department wrote in a statement posted to its Facebook page.
“Following their arrest, Designated Immigration Officers (DIO) within the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office 287(g) Program placed an Immigration Detainer-Notice of Action, form I-247A, on all five noncitizens illegally present in the United States. ICE lodges detainers on individuals arrested on criminal charges who ICE has probable cause to believe are removable noncitizens,” the release says.
According to the Sheriff’s release, Ismael Lopez Lopez was charged with being an accessory after the fact. Two of the suspects are MS-13 gang members, the release says. The Sheriff’s release called Ramos Lopez a “validated associate” of the MS-13 gang and Lopez Lopez “a validated member.”
The City of Frederick initially described Lopez Funez as a “critically missing teen.”
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, “MS-13 was formed by Salvadoran immigrants that came to the United States in order to escape the civil war in their home country. Some of its members were trained in guerilla warfare and the use of military weapons. The gang is well-organized and is heavily involved in lucrative illegal enterprises, being notorious for its use of violence to achieve its objectives”
Here’s what you need to know:
Limber Lopez Funez Vanished in February 2023 & Police Found Evidence of a ‘Serious Assault’
On February 25, 2023, “family members of 15-year-old Limber Lopez Funez contacted the Frederick Police Department to report him as missing,” the police press release says.
“The teenager was entered as a missing person and detectives with the Major Crimes Unit were assigned to locate Lopez Funez that same day. In the early morning hours of February 26, while conducting a search for the missing teenager in the wooded area near Orchard Way, detectives discovered a crime scene that indicated a serious assault had occurred there. The scene was processed, and detectives continued their investigation to find Lopez Funez,” the release says.
“During the investigation, detectives developed information that Lopez Funez may have been in the area of Gambrill State Park. Multiple searches were executed by detectives and on April 24, during one of the searches in the Gambrill State Park area, human remains were located and confirmed to be those of the missing teenager, Limber Lopez Funez.”
The Sheriff’s release says:
Alexis Alfredo Ayala Lopez, age 21, Jose Roberto Ramos-Lopez, age 22, (a validated associate of Mara Salvatrucha MS13), and Ismael Ivan Rivera-Canales, age 20, all face charges to include first-degree murder.
Ismael Lopez-Lopez, age 29, (a validated member of Mara Salvatrucha MS13) charges include accessory to first-degree murder after the fact. Lopez-Lopez was already incarcerated at the time of the charges for assault first-degree and violation of a protective order.
A fifth suspect, Elmir Bladimir Reyes-Reyes is currently in Pennsylvania waiting extradition back to Frederick and faces charges in connection with the murder of Lopez-Funez.
Additionally, FCSO correctional officers processed Josue Mauricio Arrue-Paniagua (a validated member of Mara Salvatrucha MS13) into the Frederick County Adult Detention Center on May 26. His charges include attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, assault first-degree, assault second-degree, and firearm use/felon-violate crime on another case.
All five suspects are at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center and held without bond.
Once they have satisfied their local criminal charges, ICE will take over custody of all identified suspects.
The 287(g) program is a law enforcement tool and serves as a deterrent to criminal noncitizens.
Detectives Collected Digital, Video & Forensic Evidence Leading to the 5 Suspects in the Death of Limber Lopez Funez, Police Say
Frederick PoliceLimber Lopez Funez
“Since Mr. Lopez Funez was first reported missing back in late February, we have had officers and detectives working tirelessly, investigating this case,” said Chief of Police, Jason Lando, in the police news release. “Our team spent countless hours following leads and conducting searches all over the county. We were all hoping to find Limber alive and well, but sadly that did not happen.”
The release says that “detectives continued to investigate the case and were able to develop and collect digital, video, and forensic evidence that led to the identities of the five suspects in the murder of Limber Lopez Funez. Arrest warrants were issued for the suspects and on May 26, 2023, several search and seizure warrants were executed to apprehend the suspects. All five of the below suspects have been charged with 1st-degree murder in this case.”
Lando added, “On behalf of the entire team at FPD, our hearts go out to the victim’s family. While we know it will not bring Limber back, we hope the arrests in this case will offer some closure to the Lopez Funez family.”
“This case is still actively being investigated and additional details are not being released at this time. The Frederick Police Department is urging anyone who may have information related to this case to contact Detective Yackovich at 240-549-4450 or kyackovich@FrederickMDPolice.org,” police wrote.