Alexis Antonio Cedillos-Campos, 19, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Carmen Lizet Puch, a 42-year-old co-worker he allegedly stabbed repeatedly and doused with gasoline before attempting to set her on fire, according to authorities.
Background
Cedillos-Campos and Puch worked together at the Bitez restaurant location in Herndon, Virginia. The two had an "intimate relationship," Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said during a press conference. The incident unfolded around midnight on Aug. 17 when Cedillos-Campos left the workplace armed with a fixed blade knife he took from the restaurant, authorities said. He also carried latex gloves and a water bottle filled with gasoline from his motorcycle.
"It was all very premeditated," Davis stated.
According to a witness account cited in a criminal complaint, Cedillos-Campos was outraged that Puch sent screenshots of their affair to his girlfriend. The defendant allegedly declared he was going to kill Puch over the betrayal. Around 1:30 a.m., the witness reported hearing a phone conversation between Cedillos-Campos and Puch during which they made plans to meet.
The Investigation
The pair met in the parking lot of Difficult Run Trail Park in Great Falls, Virginia—about 14 miles from the restaurant. At some point during their encounter, police said Cedillos-Campos stabbed Puch "repeatedly" and "doused her in gasoline and tried to set her on fire," though he was unsuccessful.
Around 4 a.m., Cedillos-Campos called the witness and stated that he had done it before hanging up, authorities said. The witness interpreted this as an admission that he had killed Puch.
At approximately 6:45 a.m., officers from the McLean District Station in Fairfax County responded to the park after a jogger discovered the victim lying next to her car in the small gravel parking lot. Puch was pronounced dead at the scene.
Cedillos-Campos was later arrested, and police said he confessed to the crime. He is a citizen of El Salvador who entered the United States illegally in 2024 and was subsequently arrested but released, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The agency said it requested that Cedillos-Campos be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Puch was the mother of a 4-year-old girl, according to a fundraiser organized for her family.
Key Takeaways
- Alexis Antonio Cedillos-Campos, 19, is charged with second-degree murder in Virginia
- The victim, Carmen Lizet Puch, 42, was allegedly stabbed repeatedly and doused with gasoline
- Police say the suspect took a knife from their shared workplace before the killing
- A witness claims the motive involved screenshots of an affair sent to the suspect's girlfriend
What's Next
Cedillos-Campos remains in custody. His immigration status has prompted DHS to request his transfer to ICE custody. Further court proceedings are expected as the case moves through the Fairfax County judicial system.