Undocumented Immigrant Charged with Killing WA State Trooper Has Motion to Dismiss Trial Denied

Defense Claims Misconduct in Murder Case

The defense team representing the accused in the murder of 27-year-old Christopher Gadd last year is pushing back against the charges. They allege that the prosecution colluded with Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), which, they claim, violates Washington’s Sanctuary State Law.

In March 2024, Raul Benitez Santana, a 34-year-old undocumented immigrant from Mexico with a history of legal troubles, was arrested and charged with vehicular homicide linked to Gadd’s death.

Prosecutors assert that Santana, while driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol on an interstate in Snohomish County, struck and killed Gadd. Tragically, Gadd left behind his wife, Kamlin, and their young daughter.

The defense’s motion to dismiss the case contends that the prosecutor’s disclosure of Santana’s undocumented status breached the state’s protections.

However, on Monday, Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Karen D. Moore determined that there was no evidence suggesting that prosecutors had deliberately sought information from ICE about Santana.

“I deny any defense claims that I would like to dismiss,” Moore stated to both the prosecution and defense teams.

Consequently, jury selection for the trial is set to commence on Tuesday.

ICE officials confirmed that Santana has been in the U.S. illegally for over a decade. His previous arrests include a 2013 charge for driving without a license, for which he received a 90-day sentence for marijuana possession. That same year, he also spent time in jail for failing to appear in court related to his driving offense. In May 2019, Santana faced charges of domestic violence.