Ike Nicholas Souzer, a 20-year-old California man convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the death of his mother, was recently arrested in Mexico after walking away from a transitional facility without notice. Souzer had violated the terms of his probation, which included informing his probation officer of his whereabouts and staying in the region. The Orange County District Attorney’s office warned the public of Souzer’s dangerous and violent nature, citing his record of violence in his teenage years, including a prior conviction related to an attack on three jail guards. Souzer was found in Playas de Rosarito, a coastal municipality south of Tijuana, with the assistance of Mexican authorities, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, and the DA’s fugitive task force.
The DA’s office also mentioned Souzer’s conviction for possession of a weapon while in custody prior to his escape. Despite being under mandatory GPS monitoring for the weapons conviction, Souzer left the supervision of the transitional organization in 2022 and was found at a homeless encampment by the DA’s task force. The office blamed judges in the county for sentencing Souzer lightly and allowing him credit for time served and good behavior in prior cases. They wanted to try him as an adult for the death of his mother and consistently sought stricter sentences for his subsequent crimes. The office specifically named judges who had issued what they considered lax sentences in Souzer’s cases, and criticized a nonprofit organization, Project Kinship, for advocating for his release from custody.
The public defender’s office, which has represented Souzer in the past, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The DA’s office mentioned that a family member had previously disclosed during Souzer’s juvenile court prosecution for manslaughter that he was autistic and had a history of outbursts. Despite his history of crime and violence, Souzer had left the supervised transitional facility before, leading to his recent arrest in Mexico. The DA’s office expressed frustration with judges in the county for not issuing stricter sentences and allowing leniency in prior cases involving Souzer.
Project Kinship, the nonprofit organization running the transitional facility from which Souzer escaped, offers services like case management, counseling, and peer mentorship to individuals impacted by substance abuse, gangs, and incarceration. The organization stated it could not comment on specific cases but has had a positive impact in Orange County. The founder and executive director of Project Kinship, Steve Kim, emphasized the support and services offered by the organization. The DA’s office continues to push for stronger sentences for Souzer, citing his escape to a foreign country as an attempt to avoid the consequences of his actions. Mexican authorities, along with U.S. border agencies and the DA’s task force, were instrumental in apprehending Souzer in Playas de Rosarito.
