The Department of Homeland Security says the man accused of stalking and murdering a 38-year-old Sacramento woman this week was an Indian national who crossed the border illegally in Arizona in August 2023 and was released into the country by the Biden administration.
Rohit Rohit, 22, was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol after the crossing and subsequently released, according to DHS. He remained in the United States until Tuesday, when Sacramento County authorities say he shot and killed the woman he had stalked for months.
“This illegal alien from India harassed, stalked, and then killed a 38-year-old woman in California, and then took his own life when police caught up to him,” a DHS spokesperson said. “This tragedy would have been completely avoided if it weren’t for the Biden Administration RELEASING this killer into our country.”
The killing
The shooting happened shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday near a Panera Bread at Northrop and Howe avenues in Sacramento. Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper said surveillance video showed Rohit confronting the woman as she tried to flee.
Investigators said Rohit chased her down, shot her multiple times, and then approached her as she lay on the ground and shot her again in the head.
“Horrific. I’ve seen the video myself. Unimaginable,” Cooper said Wednesday. “This young lady was chased down and gunned down, and then he stands over her and executes her. Unbelievable.”
Months of stalking
Authorities said Rohit and the woman had known each other for years through their jobs, though they worked for different employers. Investigators believe he developed a fixation on her that grew into sustained harassment.
The woman found an Apple AirTag hidden under the hood of her car in January, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. In a separate incident, Rohit allegedly deflated one of her tires, then followed her to work so he could show up and offer help.
His conduct escalated further. Investigators said he obtained a copy of her apartment key and entered her home while she slept. When she confronted him the next morning, Rohit reportedly claimed he had let himself in because she hadn’t answered him and he feared something had happened to her.
The woman initially chose not to pursue criminal charges or a restraining order, though detectives stayed in touch with her as the behavior continued.
“We’ve seen this pattern of behavior. We’ve seen kind of where it leads sometimes,” said Sacramento County Sheriff’s Lt. Amar Gandhi.
Deputies urged her again in May to seek a restraining order, which she obtained. Rohit allegedly kept trying to reach her anyway. On July 29, deputies received a report that he had left random groceries at her front door, a possible violation of the order. Less than two months later, he was reportedly waiting for her in the Panera parking lot when she was dropped off.
Manhunt and standoff
A witness photographed Rohit’s vehicle after the shooting and called 911 immediately, giving deputies key information. Investigators also used the region’s Flock camera network to locate the vehicle within minutes.
“Fortunately, a good witness, a good Samaritan, was there, saw it, took photographs of the suspect’s vehicle and called 911 right away,” Cooper said.
Deputies confronted Rohit on eastbound Highway 50 at Watt Avenue, triggering a standoff that closed the freeway for hours. Rohit died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Local officials had initially said Rohit had no known criminal history or prior contact with the sheriff’s office in Sacramento County. DHS’s disclosure of his 2023 border apprehension and release added a new dimension to the case.
Detectives said their investigation will continue despite Rohit’s death, in hopes of giving the victim’s family a full account of what happened.
“We can’t give the family the victim back, but we can give them information, help them get closure and really piece the puzzle together on how they got here,” Gandhi said.
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