The former Indian army officer who was wanted for murder in his homeland and killed his family in California last weekend had been living illegally in the U.S. for at least five years, federal immigration officials said Tuesday.

Avtar Singh, who killed his wife, two children and himself in their Selma, Calif. home on Saturday, had been arrested by investigators for unlawful presence in July 2007, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Lori Haley told The Associated Press.

He was "subsequently placed in removal proceedings. At the time of his death, ICE Homeland Security Investigations was continuing to investigate his case," Haley said in a written statement.

Haley did not say where or why Singh first came to the attention of U.S. authorities, why ICE released him, or whether ICE officials knew of his alleged crimes in India.

Singh was sought with an Interpol notice for the 1996 killing of Jalil Andrabi, a lawyer and prominent human rights advocate, in the disputed region of Indian-controlled Kashmir.