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Brazilian court removes extradition protection for woman accused in 2007 Newton Falls murder
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
Claudia Hoerig, charged with killing her husband in their Trumbull County home nine years ago, was arrested Wednesday, and Brazilian authorities have her in custody pending extradition to the United States.
The U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Liliana Ayalde phoned U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan late Wednesday evening notifying him of the arrest. Ryan thanked the ambassador and the foreign-service officers who assisted in the arrest.
Ryan of Howland, D-13th, said a ruling by the Brazilian Supreme Court stripped Hoerig of her Brazilian citizenship and her protection from extradition to the United States to stand trial for murder.
Hoerig is charged with aggravated murder in the March 12, 2007, death of her husband, Karl Hoerig, a major in the Air Force. He was found in their Newton Falls home.
“It has been almost nine years ago that my constituent, Maj. Karl Hoerig, had his life cut short. And for nine years, his family and friends have seen no justice,” Ryan said.
“This is a man who bravely served our nation, with nearly 200 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan under his belt. We owe it to him to ensure that his killer, Claudia Hoerig, stands trail for her heinous crime.”
Ryan and Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins both expressed cautious optimism the ruling and her arrest clears the way for Hoe-rig to be brought back to the county to stand trial.
Watkins, Ryan and others have tried for years to persuade the Brazilian government to send Hoerig back, saying she fled the U.S. soon after her husband’s death to her native Brazil to avoid prosecution.
Among the arguments they have made is that Hoerig renounced her Brazilian citizenship in 1999 after leaving Brazil in 1989. The Brazilian government did revoke her citizenship in 2013, but she appealed it under Brazilian law.
Watkins said the information he received is that the Brazilian Supreme Court “ruled in favor of the action that stripped her of her citizenship, which means she doesn’t have protection from extradition.”
Watkins said the family of Karl Hoerig also is optimistic “that something is happening.”
The development won’t be certain “until we see her in handcuffs coming into the Trumbull County Courthouse,” Watkins said. “We’re happy the court has ruled in our favor,” but it remains to be seen whether “she can do anything” to prevent herself from being returned to the U.S. immediately.
Early on in the case, Watkins wrote to President George W. Bush and later President Barack Obama, asking for help in getting Brazil to return Hoerig since Brazil’s policy was to not extradite Brazilian citizens to face murder charges.
Watkins urged U.S. officials to restrict visas of Brazilian nationals to the United States and deny or limit aid to Brazil as a way to get Brazilian cooperation in the Hoerig matter.
Ryan and then-U.S. Rep. John Boccieri proposed legislation in Congress in 2009 to urge the Brazilian government to live up to the spirit of the extradition treaty between the United States and Brazil.
Ryan also questioned then-Secretary of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in 2013 on the Air Force’s decision to award a $950 million defense contract to a Brazilian government-controlled aerospace conglomerate in light of the Hoerig case.
Watkins made another appeal two weeks ago, asking the local FBI office to place Claudia Hoerig on its 10 Most Wanted list and offer a $100,000 reward for information leading to her arrest.
Watkins wrote at that time he had met with Karl Hoerig’s father, Ed Hoerig, who told him he is in his 70s and fears he and his wife “will not see justice in their lifetime.”
“The Hoerig family is encouraged by the courts decision but understand there are a couple more hurdles to cross before we can celebrate,” said Paul Hoerig, brother of Karl Hoerig. “We are waiting for Claudia to reach U.S. soil.”
Boccieri of Poland, now state representative for the 59th District, flew missions with Hoerig at the 910 Airlift Wing of the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.
“We miss our friend at the Youngstown Air Force Reserve base,” Boccieri said in a news release. “He was a great pilot and a great person who served others with a heart as big as Ohio.”