Man charged in Wake County deputy's murder makes court appearance, pleads guilty to prison escape

WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Nearly three years after the murder of Wake County Deputy Ned Byrd, his family is one step closer to seeking justice.

One of the men accused in his murder escaped custody in 2023 and was arrested in his home country of Mexico days later. He just pleaded guilty to that escape charge in a federal courthouse in Greensboro on Tuesday night.

It took about two years to get 28-year-old Alder Marin-Sotelo back to the United States after he escaped from a Virginia jail where he had been held in connection with Byrd's death.

On Tuesday, he appeared before a judge and admitted to planning and executing the prison escape.

In August of 2022, investigators believe Marin-Sotelo and his older brother, Arturo, shot and killed Byrd.

Arturo Marin-Sotelo admitted to authorities later that they had an AK-47 with them at the time, but told investigators they were using it to hunt deer.

While waiting to be tried on state murder charges, Alder Marin-Sotelo was convicted in December 2022 on a federal charge for possession of a firearm while living in the United States illegally.

Marin-Sotelo was being held at Piedmont Regional Jail in Farmville, Virginia, while awaiting sentencing on the federal charge when he broke out with the aid of his sister.

Now, he is set to be sentenced on the federal weapons charge and the escape charge in September.

In September of 2026, he and his brother are scheduled to be tried for the murder of Deputy Byrd.