A Guatemalan migrant has been nabbed and charged with sexually assaulting and fatally strangling an 11-year-old Texas girl, then stuffing her body in a laundry bag under her bed.
Juan Carlos Garcia Rodriguez, 18, was on the lam for nearly a week after the horrific Aug 12 assault of little Maria Gonzalez in Pasadena before cops caught up with him in Louisiana on Saturday and he confessed, KHOU-TV reported.
Rodriguez — who crossed the US border with Mexico in January, self-surrendered to authorities and was then cut loose again — was charged with capital murder and is awaiting extradition back to Texas.
He lived in the same apartment complex as Maria and her family outside Houston — and was tied to her brutal slaying after accidentally dropping his apartment key in their home after the crime, officials have said.
The body of his young victim was found by her father, Carmelo Gonzalez, in the bag under her bed at their home, authorities have said.
“This arrest has brought the family and community some peace,” Maria’s family said in a statement, according to KHOU.
“We are extremely thankful that he cannot cause this type of pain to anybody again,” the family said. “I ask for those who are in charge to give us justice. May he be burdened with the full with of the law for what he has done to my daughter.”
Carmelo Gonzalez said he left for work around 9:45 a.m. on the day of his daughter’s murder — and about 15 minutes later got a text from the girl saying someone was knocking on their door.
The dad told her not to open the door because she was home alone.
He repeatedly called her back, but the girl didn’t answer.
He returned home and made the gruesome discovery.
Police interviewed Rogriguez on Monday, but he then disappeared and told his roommate he was leaving town for a job.
On Friday, police in Texas identified Rodriguez as a person of interest in the case and offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to his capture, releasing an image from a police officer’s bodycam which was taken during his interview with cops.
Pasadena Police Chief Josh Bruegger told reporters that the crucial piece of evidence tying Rodriguez to the crime was a key to his apartment — which he left inside the Gonzalez home.
“He didn’t have a key,” the chief said. “There was a key to that apartment in the victim’s apartment.”
What do you think? Be the first to comment.
Maria had come to the US with her father four years ago and had been living in the complex for just three months when the youngster was killed.
DC Makes History: Capital City Breaks Guinness World Record for Most Couples Kissing Under the Mistletoe
Washington, DC added an unexpected title to its history books this week — breaking the Guinness World Record for the most couples kissing simultaneously under the mistletoe. What started as a bold and festive idea quickly…
Behind the Scenes of Sean “Diddy” Combs — A Look at the Documentary That’s Stirring Up Controversy
Sean Combs: The Reckoning” isn’t just another celebrity doc — it’s a full-on cultural investigation.
Shutdown Ends, But Recovery Begins: Key Updates on the 2025 Federal Government Closure
After 43 days of disruption, the longest shutdown in U.S. history officially came to a close on November 12, 2025, when the Donald Trump signed a new funding package passed by the House and Senate. The…
It's Tea ☕️ Tyme 