Border Patrol Agent Found Dead in Riverside County Home

HEMET, California — A U.S. Border Patrol agent was found dead in a home in Riverside County on Friday. Isaiah Hodgson, 29, was discovered around 12:45 p.m. on August 22, in the 25000 block of Avocet Circle, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Authorities reported that when deputies arrived at the scene, they pronounced Hodgson dead but did not find any evidence of foul play. The sheriff’s department released a statement regarding the incident.

Natalin Daldalian, the communications director for the L.A. County public defender’s office, who was representing Hodgson in a criminal case, asked the media to respect his family’s privacy but did not provide any details on the cause of death.

A spokesperson from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not respond immediately to requests for comment regarding the agent’s death.

Hodgson recently played a significant role in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement initiatives in Southern California. He was involved in a controversial incident on June 17, where he was accused of interfering with immigration arrests at a Walmart in Pico Rivera. Local defense attorneys alleged Hodgson and other agents forcefully confronted a 20-year-old man as he tried to protect his co-worker during the arrests.

Approximately three weeks after the Walmart incident, Hodgson was involved in another altercation while off-duty at a restaurant in Long Beach. Reports indicated that Hodgson was intoxicated and armed when he approached a female patron in a women’s restroom. After receiving a complaint, restaurant staff escorted him from the premises, which led to a confrontation with Long Beach police. Officers used a stun gun to subdue Hodgson after he resisted detainment.

He faced several charges, including battery causing injury to a police officer and multiple misdemeanors related to weapons. Hodgson was scheduled to appear in court in late September.

Both the Long Beach police and the district attorney’s office have directed inquiries regarding Hodgson’s death to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.