How Did She Die? Who Killed Marta Rodriguez? Update

The re-investigation of a chilly case from 2009 led the authorities to unravel one other mysterious disappearance from 1989. Each victims have been girls, and in each instances, the widespread thread was their accomplice on the time. NBC Information’s ‘Dateline: A Haunting Stretch of Street’ delves into the homicide of Marta Rodriguez, who all of the sudden went lacking in 1989. Whereas the circumstances surrounding her vanishing have been suspicious, the case wasn’t solved till greater than three a long time later. So, let’s discover out what occurred then, lets?

How Did Marta Rodriguez Die?

Marta Haydee Rodriguez-Cruz had been married to Jose Rodriguez-Cruz. On the time, the 28-year-old was a nurse’s aide and had been dwelling in Arlington County, Virginia. Collectively, the couple had a son named Hansel. Because the authorities would discover out later, issues between the couple weren’t nice, in the end resulting in Marta’s dying. Nonetheless, she was final seen someday in Could 1989 strolling to a bus cease.

When Marta didn’t present up for her court look on Could 18, 1989, the household started to fret, resulting in a lacking individual report. Nonetheless, it appeared like Marta vanished with out a hint, and there was no signal of her wherever. Human stays have been discovered hid on a freeway median strip in Stafford County, Virginia, in 1991. These stays remained unidentified till 2018, when DNA testing proved they belonged to Marta. The reason for dying was listed as undetermined.

Who Killed Marta Rodriguez?

Within the time main as much as Marta’s disappearance, there was volatility between her and Jose. In March 1989, an Arlington County police officer witnessed Jose dragging Marta on the road whereas she was certain and gagged. After Jose was arrested, the authorities discovered duct tape and cord in his automotive. On the time, Marta had even advised police that she feared for her security.

Whereas costs have been filed towards Jose, they have been dropped simply as shortly when Marta failed to indicate up at court docket to testify towards him. On the time, she labored at a hospital in Washington DC, and a co-worker additionally stated that Marta was scared as a result of Jose was “coming for her.” However the investigation into her disappearance went nowhere, and the case stayed unsolved till 2000, when Marta was taken off the lacking individual database.

A girl had used Marta’s identify to get a driver’s license that yr in Miami, Florida; It was considered one of Jose’s family members. Whereas an alert led to the authorities talking with the lady, she claimed to be Marta and insisted she was okay. The authorities didn’t confirm photographs on the time, and Marta’s case was thought-about solved till one other twist near 20 years later. Jose was on the heart of one other lacking individual investigation — that of Pamela Butler, his girlfriend, earlier than she went lacking in 2009.

The investigation revealed Jose’s violent habits, with a witness claiming she was certain and sexually assaulted in 2004. One other witness stated that he noticed Jose threaten one other girl’s life with a gun at one level. The prosecution offered a largely circumstantial case primarily based on Jose’s violent historical past, and in November 2020, Jose pled responsible to killing Marta. Nonetheless, he insisted that it was unintentional, claiming to offer her tablets for a headache that brought on her dying.

Jose said that he buried Marta’s physique alongside a freeway in Stafford County. The stays have been present in 1991, however the investigation into Pamela’s homicide led the police to take one other stab at figuring out them. Whereas Pamela’s stays have been by no means discovered, Marta’s have been recognized by means of DNA, bringing a near a decades-long unsolved case. In the long run, Jose was discovered responsible of killing each girls and put away for a very long time.

Learn Extra: The place is Jose Rodriguez-Cruz Now?

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