Man with MS-13 gang affiliation, wanted in 6 murders, arrested in Beaufort County
A man living in Bluffton, wanted in six murders in El Salvador and with MS-13 gang affiliation, was arrested in Beaufort County on Thursday, according to Bluffton police.
Erick Salvador Hernandez Bonilla, 23, was arrested on Lady’s Island around 12:30 p.m. while he was working at his brother-in-law’s construction site, according to Bluffton Police Department Lt. Christian Gonzales.
Gonzales said that Bonilla was wanted in six homicides in El Salvador and for terrorist threats in MS-13 gang-related activities in the country.
MS-13 is a gang known for violence and first formed by El Salvadorian immigrants in Los Angeles in the 1980s.
Gonzales said Bluffton Police received an anonymous tip about a month ago that Bonilla was living in Bluffton. He said an investigator was assigned to the case and watched Bonilla until they had enough evidence to arrest him.
The arrest on Thursday was made by U.S. Marshal’s Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office with assistance by Bluffton Police, he said.
Bonilla was on the “100 Most Wanted” list posted by Interpol, an international law enforcement organization.
He will be detained in Charleston and deported to El Salvador, according to Gonzales.
This story was originally published September 23, 2021 at 2:03 PM.
