Written by Nathaniel Brooks.
The arrest of Felix Rojas, a 44-year-old Mexican national, for the heinous act of sexually assaulting a corpse on a New York City subway has sent shockwaves through the public, revealing not only the depravity of the crime but also a troubling history of repeated illegal border crossings. Charged with rape and grand larceny, Rojas allegedly targeted the body of Jorge Gonzalez, a 37-year-old man who died of natural causes, in a chilling incident that unfolded over 30 minutes on an R train. This case, marked by its grotesque details and Rojas’s status as an undocumented immigrant who evaded authorities for decades, raises urgent questions about border security, immigration enforcement, and public safety in urban centers.
A Gruesome Crime on the R Train
On April 8, 2025, at approximately 10:50 p.m., Jorge Gonzalez, a Mexican immigrant who had lived in the United States for two decades, lost consciousness on a southbound R train near Manhattan’s Whitehall Street station. Surveillance footage indicates that Gonzalez, who struggled with alcoholism and is believed to have died of cirrhosis-related complications, remained motionless for hours. Around 11:20 p.m., Felix Rojas boarded the train and, according to prosecutors, began rifling through Gonzalez’s pockets, attempting to steal from the deceased. What followed was an act of unimaginable depravity: Rojas allegedly sexually assaulted Gonzalez’s corpse, pausing only when the train stopped to avoid detection by other passengers.
The assault, captured on security cameras, lasted over 30 minutes. Rojas reportedly adjusted his clothing and repositioned Gonzalez’s body to conceal his actions, demonstrating a calculated effort to evade scrutiny. An MTA conductor discovered Gonzalez’s body facedown on the train floor shortly after midnight on April 9, prompting an immediate police investigation. The footage, described in court documents, shows Rojas orally and anally violating the corpse, an act that has horrified the public and intensified scrutiny of subway safety.
Rojas fled the scene but turned himself in on April 27, accompanied by his son, after NYPD released images of the suspect. Charged with first-degree rape and attempted grand larceny, he was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court and ordered held without bail. The case has drawn widespread attention, not only for its shocking nature but also for revelations about Rojas’s immigration history, which have fueled debates over border control and criminal justice.
Rojas’s History of Illegal Border Crossings
Felix Rojas, also known as Felix Jeronimo-Rojas, is a Mexican national with a documented history of illegally entering the United States. According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Rojas was encountered by Border Patrol agents three times in 1998 and once in 1999, each time opting for voluntary return to Mexico. These encounters occurred during a period of heightened border enforcement under the Clinton administration, yet Rojas managed to re-enter the U.S. undetected at least once more, evading authorities until his arrest in 2025. His ability to slip through the cracks highlights the challenges of tracking “gotaways”—undocumented immigrants who cross the border without apprehension.
Rojas’s immigration status remained undisclosed until after his arraignment, when ICE lodged a detainer against him, signaling intent to deport him following criminal proceedings. At the time of his surrender, Rojas presented a foreign passport, though authorities have not specified the country of origin. His prolonged presence in the U.S., spanning over two decades, raises questions about the effectiveness of immigration enforcement mechanisms, particularly in identifying and detaining individuals with repeated unlawful entries. For many, this case underscores the broader issue of undetected re-entries, which have surged in recent years amid fluctuating border policies.
The Department of Homeland Security reported that in fiscal year 2023, over 670,000 gotaways were recorded, a stark contrast to the 77 daily average reported in early 2025 under stricter enforcement measures. Rojas’s case, while extreme, exemplifies the potential consequences of undetected illegal crossings, particularly when individuals engage in criminal activity years after entering the country. His lack of prior arrests in New York City, as noted by police, further complicates the narrative, suggesting he operated under the radar until this egregious offense.
Victim’s Tragic End and Public Safety Concerns
Jorge Gonzalez, the victim of Rojas’s assault, was a Mexican immigrant who arrived in the U.S. around 2005. His estranged wife, Teresa, described him as a devoted father who succumbed to alcoholism, which led to job losses and their separation five years ago. Gonzalez’s death, likely due to liver failure, occurred hours before Rojas’s actions, and his body remained on the train for an extended period, unnoticed by passengers or staff. The delay in discovering his body has sparked criticism of MTA oversight and raised concerns about the vulnerability of subway riders, particularly those in distress.
The New York City subway system, with over 3.6 million daily riders, has long been a focal point for discussions about public safety. While NYPD CompStat data indicates a 10% decrease in transit crime as of April 20, 2025, compared to 2024, high-profile incidents like this one amplify perceptions of danger. Rojas’s crime, though an outlier, has reignited debates about homelessness, mental health, and addiction on public transit, as Gonzalez’s untreated alcoholism may have contributed to his unnoticed death. For commuters, the incident is a grim reminder of the unpredictability of urban environments, where isolated acts of violence or depravity can erode trust in public spaces.
The case also highlights the plight of vulnerable populations, such as undocumented immigrants and those battling addiction. Gonzalez’s story resonates with many who face systemic barriers to healthcare and housing, often slipping through societal cracks. Rojas’s actions, while indefensible, occurred in a context where oversight failures allowed a corpse to go unnoticed for hours, prompting calls for enhanced MTA protocols, including more frequent train checks and expanded mental health resources for riders.
Political and Social Ramifications
Rojas’s status as an undocumented immigrant has thrust the case into the contentious arena of immigration policy, with critics seizing on his repeated border crossings to argue for stricter enforcement. Social media platforms have amplified outrage, with some users framing the incident as evidence of systemic failures in border security under previous administrations. The timing, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s 2025 border security initiatives, has fueled partisan narratives, with supporters citing a 94.8% drop in detected illegal crossings from March 2024 to March 2025 as proof of effective policies.
Democrats, meanwhile, have urged restraint, emphasizing that Rojas’s actions are not representative of the broader immigrant community. The case has drawn parallels to other high-profile crimes involving undocumented individuals, such as the 2024 subway arson case in which a Guatemalan national was charged. These incidents have intensified pressure on sanctuary city policies, with New York’s refusal to honor ICE detainers in certain cases drawing scrutiny. Rojas’s detainer, lodged on April 30, 2025, underscores the tension between local and federal authorities over immigration enforcement.
The public reaction has been visceral, with online discussions reflecting a mix of horror, anger, and calls for systemic reform. For many New Yorkers, the subway is a daily necessity, and incidents like this erode confidence in its safety. The case also raises ethical questions about media coverage, as graphic details risk sensationalizing a tragedy that devastated Gonzalez’s family. Balancing transparency with sensitivity remains a challenge for journalists covering such cases, particularly when immigration status amplifies political divides.
Our Take
The Felix Rojas case is a disturbing convergence of individual depravity and systemic failures, from undetected illegal border crossings to inadequate oversight on public transit. While Rojas’s actions are uniquely horrific, they reflect broader issues: the challenges of tracking repeat border violators, the vulnerability of marginalized populations like Jorge Gonzalez, and the strain on urban safety infrastructure. The decline in illegal crossings under current policies is notable, but Rojas’s decades-long presence in the U.S. suggests that enforcement gaps persist. This tragedy demands a multifaceted response—strengthened border security, enhanced subway monitoring, and robust support for addiction and homelessness—to prevent future atrocities and restore public trust. Blaming entire communities for one man’s actions is misguided; instead, we must address the structural weaknesses that allowed this crime to occur.
