An emotional video has surfaced showing a heartbroken mother, Elizabeth Carter, expressing compassion towards the man accused of killing her son. This occurred during a recent interaction with Rajinder Kumar, a 32-year-old semi-truck driver from India, who has been charged in connection with the deaths of Carter’s son, William Micah Carter, and his wife, Jennifer Lynn Lower, following a tragic accident on an Oregon highway in November 2025.
In the video, Elizabeth introduces herself to Kumar, fighting back tears. “Hello Mr. Kumar, my name is Elizabeth Carter; I’m William Micah Carter’s mother,” she says, acknowledging the gravity of their situation. She tells him, “I pray for you and your family. I know you didn’t get up that morning planning to kill two newlyweds. And I know your family is going through something important too.”
The touching exchange took place as federal authorities were getting ready to transfer Kumar back to state custody in Oregon for criminal prosecution. He faces serious charges, including two counts of first-degree manslaughter and multiple counts of recklessly endangering another person.
Kumar is accused of causing the deaths of 25-year-old William Micah Carter and 24-year-old Jennifer Lynn Lower, who were only married for 16 days. The crash happened on November 24, 2025, when Kumar allegedly jackknifed his truck across U.S. Highway 20, blocking both traffic lanes. The couple’s vehicle collided with the semi, resulting in their deaths at the scene.
Kumar has been indicted by a grand jury in Deschutes County but has pleaded not guilty in a state court. A complex legal situation has arisen between federal and local bodies since his release after the incident.
Records reveal that Kumar entered the United States illegally from Mexico in late November 2022, was briefly detained, and then released while awaiting removal proceedings. Curiously, during this time, he received work authorization and even obtained a commercial driver’s license.
Following Kumar’s indictment, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a request to be notified before he was released from the county jail. However, local corrections officials opted not to honor this federal detainer and released him due to Oregon’s sanctuary policies.
It wasn’t until April 2022 that ICE agents located Kumar and arrested him, leading to his detention while federal deportation proceedings continued. Recently, ICE returned him to Deschutes County authorities to confront the serious charges he faces before any deportation can be carried out.
Julio Hernandez, acting Field Office Director of ICE in Seattle, stated that this coordinated effort aimed to ensure accountability for the tragic deaths while also keeping the public safe. Currently, federal deportation proceedings are on hold as state prosecutors proceed with their case against Kumar, whose trial in Deschutes County Circuit Court is pending.
