Toddler’s Murderer Deported After Two Decades

WISCONSIN – Akira Salinas-Ruiz, the man who brutally murdered 18-month-old Santiago Teniente Jr. in 2006, is no longer on U.S. soil. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed the deportation of the convicted child killer following his release from a 20-year sentence at a Wisconsin state prison. The case, which shocked the state, revealed horrific injuries inflicted upon the defenseless toddler.

Paramedics responding to a call on February 28, 2006, were initially told Santiago Teniente Jr. had suffered a fall and was struggling to breathe. However, medical examination quickly revealed a far more sinister truth. A doctor determined the child’s injuries – abusive head trauma, bruising on his neck and stomach – were inconsistent with a simple accident and indicative of severe physical abuse. Santiago Teniente Jr. succumbed to his injuries on March 1, 2006.

Salinas-Ruiz was initially charged with physical abuse of a child in addition to murder. He ultimately pleaded no contest to the murder charges and was sentenced to 20 years in state prison on July 11, 2007. While incarcerated, an immigration judge ordered his removal from the United States on May 15, 2008. ICE took custody of Salinas-Ruiz upon his release from prison on February 17, 2026, and swiftly carried out the deportation.

The case is further complicated by Salinas-Ruiz’s prior immigration history. He initially entered the U.S. illegally sometime in 2001 near the Arizona-Sonora border. Astonishingly, he was encountered by immigration officials in April 2002 and granted a voluntary return to Mexico. Less than four years later, he committed a horrific act of violence, raising serious questions about the effectiveness of the system.

“This criminal illegal alien – this convicted child-murderer – should never have been in the U.S. in the first place,” stated ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. “Had he not snuck into the U.S., Santiago Teniente Jr. could be in his senior year of college, living the life he was meant to lead. Instead, Salinas-Ruiz stole that little boy’s future.” Lyons also highlighted the dangers faced by ICE agents, noting a 1,427% increase in assaults and an 8,000% increase in death threats.

While the deportation offers a measure of closure, it cannot bring back Santiago Teniente Jr. The Grimy Times will continue to follow federal enforcement efforts and expose the failures that allow dangerous criminals to slip through the cracks. Readers with information regarding criminal activity are encouraged to contact ICE at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or submit an online tip. Follow ICE on X at @ICEgov for updates.