LOS ANGELES , California ( CNN ) -- A man suspected of killing his grandmother and setting her body on fire was returned to Los Angeles , California , after being arrested in Mexico , authorities said Wednesday . Joseph Ettima , 25 , is suspected of murdering his grandmother and burning her body . Joseph Elias George Ettima , 25 , was arrested in the Mexican state of Chiapas on Monday , said Bert Tapia , supervisory deputy for the U.S . Marshal 's Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force . He was brought back to Los Angeles late Tuesday night . `` He was homeless , '' Tapia said . `` Did n't have much with him , did n't have any identification . '' Ettima initially claimed to be from Belize , Tapia said . When authorities were unable to verify that , he then said he was Nigerian . But officials were able to determine he was actually from California , where he was sought in the January 19 death of his 69-year-old grandmother , Emma Hardwick-Street , in the Orange County town of Los Alamitos . After allegedly killing Hardwick-Street , authorities believe Ettima set fire to her body and house to cover up the crime before fleeing . `` The crime is particularly heinous in that two young children were in the home at the time of the murder and witnessed the event , '' according to a U.S . Marshal 's statement . Two of Hardwick-Street 's grandchildren , ages 8 and 3 , were present at the time of her slaying , according to Los Alamitos police . The 8-year-old was Ettima 's younger brother , according to the U.S . Marshals wanted poster on Ettima . Police are not releasing how Hardwick-Street died , said Los Alamitos Police Capt . Bruce McAlpine . CNN affiliate KTLA reported she was stabbed . Twelve people were initially displaced by the fire in Hardwick-Street 's apartment building , police said . According to the U.S . Marshals ' wanted poster on Ettima , the suspect 's 8-year-old brother witnessed the slaying . A 3-year-old girl was also present , according to the Orange County Register . Authorities said Ettima had recently been paroled from prison and had `` a long criminal history of violence with weapons . '' The history includes robbery , weapons possession , manufacturing of weapons and indecent exposure , according to a February statement from U.S . Marshals . Los Alamitos police asked the U.S . Marshals task force for assistance the day after Hardwick-Street was killed , and the federal authorities put Ettima on their 15 Most Wanted fugitives list in February . U.S . Marshals , working with Los Alamitos police and Mexican authorities , were able to match Ettima 's description to that of the man in custody in Mexico , authorities said . In addition to the homicide charge , Ettima was wanted on charges of robbery , arson , child endangerment and parole violation . `` Ettima has a long history of violence , and his latest crime demonstrates a callous disregard for human life that is unimaginable , '' said John F. Clark , director of the U.S . Marshals Service , in the Wednesday statement . `` Capturing him was one of our highest priorities . '' Ettima 's arrest `` is the first step in bringing justice to the victim and those affected by this brutal crime , '' said Los Alamitos Police Chief Todd Mattern . `` Ettima 's capture provides a sense of security to the community and brings closure to the victim 's family . '' Nearly 110,000 fugitive felons were apprehended last year by U.S . Marshals task forces , nine of them from the agency 's 15 Most Wanted List , the statement said . Four were arrested in Mexico .
Joseph Elias George Ettima , 25 , was arrested by authorities in Mexico . Ettima is accused of killing his 69-year-old grandmother and then burning her body . Two children witnessed the slaying in January in Los Alamitos , California . Los Alamitos Police Chief says the capture provides a `` sense of security ''