A man accused of killing a Wake County deputy years earlier is back in the United States.

The Wake County Sheriff’s Office announced late Thursday that Alder Alfonso Marin-Sotelo was extradited from Mexico to the U.S., where he will face a murder trial.

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Alder Marin-Sotelo and his older brother, Arturo Marin-Sotelo, were charged with the murder of Deputy Ned Byrd, who was killed in 2022 in a traffic stop involving the two men. 

On Friday, Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman wrote in a text to WRAL News about Alder Alfonso Marin-Sotelo, "I don't have updated information on his location currently."

Freeman said she expects both Alder Marin-Sotelo and Arturo Marin-Sotelo in court on Monday, March 3.

Byrd, 48, was shot late in the evening on Aug. 11, 2022. He was on his way to K-9 training when he pulled over to investigate a truck on the side of Battle Bridge Road in southeastern Wake County. Byrd pulled up to the truck, leaving his K-9, Sasha, in the car. He was shot four times, including three shots to the back of the head, and died on the road.

“Deputy Byrd was one of our own, and we have never stopped working until justice is served,” said Wake County Sheriff Willie Rowe. “This extradition is a testament to the determination and collaboration of law enforcement agencies at the state, local, and federal levels.”

The younger Marin-Sotelo was in custody at Piedmont Regional Jail in Virginia after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.

Alder Marin-Sotelo later escaped from the Virginia jail after manipulating the lock on his cell door along with his bunkmate and was on the run for several days before he was captured in Mexico in May 2023. Adriana Marin-Sotelo, his sister, later pleaded guilty to helping him break out of the jail.

Alder Marin-Sotelo is now one of 29 defendants being extradited from Mexico to the U.S. on various drug, gun and murder charges. Prosecutors announced in September 2023 that they won't seek the death penalty against the two brothers.    

“The return of Mr. Marin-Sotelo to the United States now allows us to move forward with this case and set a trial date,” Freeman said. “We are grateful for the cross-agency collaboration that brought him back to face these charges.”

Wake County Sheriff Willie Rowe said it was a relief to know Marin-Sotelo was back in the country, but he won't be satisfied until he has his day in court and justice is served.

"It's bittersweet when we think of Ned, because we can't separate the joy of knowing him from the devastating loss," Rowe said. 

Rowe said Marin-Sotelo won't be held at the Wake County Detention Center. 

"If he's brought here to Wake County, I will reach out to the state system to see if he can be housed in the department of adult corrections so there's no appearance of him being in this facility and any accusations of wrongdoing or mistreatment," Rowe said.

On Friday, U.S. Rep. Brad Knott, R-North Carolina, released a statement about Alder Marin-Sotelo's extradition.

“Many North Carolinians, especially in the law enforcement community, dealt with the grief of losing Wake County Sheriff’s Deputy Ned Byrd before being robbed of justice as one of the primary suspects escaped to Mexico. This same fact pattern happens far too often,” Knott wrote in a statement. “I thank and applaud President Trump, Attorney General Bondi and Secretary of State Rubio for securing the extradition of Deputy Byrd’s suspected murderer and 28 other vicious criminals to the United States to face prosecution.”

Friend remembers Ned Byrd

WRAL News spoke Friday with Larry Carter, a friend of Byrd. Carter discussed the news of Alder Alfonso Marin-Sotelo's extradition back to the U.S.

"Great news," Carter said. "We've been waiting a very long time."

Carter said family members and friends didn't know what was happening with Alder Alfonso Marin-Sotelo before Friday's news.

"I know his family, his friends, his loved ones [and] the sheriff's office the community have been waiting on justice, for answers and to see what all truly happened," Carter said. "You start to think is anyone ever going to answer to this? Is anyone ever going to be held accountable?"

Carter said he plans to attend Monday's court hearing.

"I plan on being there every day if I can, physically," Carter said.

Carter said Byrd loved going to Lola's Beach Bar in Raleigh, saying, "He was here all the time."

"It's a terrible loss for law enforcement, all of his friends, all of his family and definitely a loss for humanity as well," Carter said.

More on the murder case of Deputy Ned Byrd: