Man Accused of Beheading Iwo Jima Statue Granted Bond
Source reports published 27 Oct 2026, 4:58 am – 6:24 am AEST
A 27-year-old illegal immigrant, Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, was granted bond following accusations of using a sledgehammer to damage the Iwo Jima monument near Quantico, Virginia. The statue sustained significant damage, including the removal of one figure's head.
What happened
- Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, a Mexican illegal alien and former Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, was arrested on Wednesday, October 21st, by the Prince William County Police Department.
- Officers responded to a call regarding damage to the Iwo Jima monument at Marine Corps Base Quantico.
- Maldonado Soriano was allegedly using a sledgehammer to strike the 9-foot limestone sculpture, which depicts the iconic flag-raising on Mount Suribachi during the 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima.
- Authorities reported that one soldier on the monument had been decapitated, with the head lying on the grass.
- The sculpture, sculpted by Felix de Weldon, who later created the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, also sustained damage to other figures.
- Police estimated the damage would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair.
- Maldonado Soriano illegally entered the U.S. in December 1999 and was granted DACA in 2014 under the Obama administration.
- His DACA status was extended under the Biden administration in 2024 before expiring in August 2026.
Original reporting
- Fox News: Illegal immigrant accused of beheading Iwo Jima monument granted bond
2026-10-26T20:24:29+00:00 - Washington Examiner: Bond granted to man accused of smashing Iwo Jima statue
2026-10-26T18:58:14+00:00