A shocking criminal case from Moldova has caught up with a woman more than a decade after she fled her home country.
Victoria Sorocean, a blonde woman who escaped to the United States, was taken into custody in Los Angeles on November 4, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
She had been convicted in 2013 for a brutal and premeditated murder in Chisinau.
The Horrific Crime That Shocked Moldova
Sorocean, along with an accomplice whose identity remains unknown, committed an act described by authorities as barbaric and cruel.
Inside an apartment, the pair reportedly tortured their victim using a stick and an electrical cable.
The assault ended with the victim being thrown from a ninth-floor balcony, a crime that stunned the local community for its sheer brutality.
Following the trial, Sorocean and her accomplice were sentenced to 17 years in prison for murder with premeditation and exceptional cruelty.
But instead of serving her sentence, Sorocean fled the country, eventually making her way to the United States.
Years on the Run and U.S. Legal Battles
Sorocean’s presence in the U.S. didn’t go unnoticed. She was first flagged during President Donald Trump’s administration, leading to an initial arrest in January 2020.
However, she managed to avoid deportation by pursuing various legal avenues, including asylum requests and multiple appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals.
Under the subsequent Biden administration, she was released back into the U.S., sparking criticism from immigration enforcement officials.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned the decision, emphasizing that dangerous criminals should not be allowed to roam free in the country.
ICE Reclaims the Fugitive
Authorities say Sorocean was finally taken back into custody on November 4.
Observers reported seeing her in a federal vehicle with highlighted hair, a pink manicure, eyeliner, and a Converse T-shirt, a stark image given the gravity of her crimes.
She is now being held by ICE pending her removal proceedings, and officials vow she will be removed from the United States.
“This case represents exactly the kind of foreign fugitive ICE is focused on — violent criminals who have fled justice abroad,” McLaughlin said.
“Our goal is to ensure the U.S. does not become a refuge for people who commit atrocities in other countries.”
Next Steps for the Convicted Murderer
Sorocean remains in ICE custody, awaiting the formal proceedings that will lead to her deportation.
DHS, ICE, and her attorney have been contacted for comment.
Meanwhile, the case has reignited debates over U.S. immigration policies and the legal mechanisms that allow dangerous individuals to remain in the country for extended periods.
Authorities say they are committed to ensuring justice finally catches up to Sorocean and other foreign fugitives living illegally in the U.S.