A gut-wrenching crime has led to the arrest of an 18-year-old man, who stands accused of the sexual assault and strangulation of an 11-year-old girl, whose lifeless body was discovered concealed beneath a bed.
The victim, Maria Gonzalez, shared an apartment complex with the suspected killer, Juan Carlos Garcia-Rodriguez, prior to her murder on August 12.
The Pasadena police department said DNA evidence was collected from Garcia-Rodriguez on the day Gonzalez’s body was found, though he hadn’t initially drawn suspicion from investigators. Pasadena Police Chief Josh Bruegger emphasized that Garcia-Rodriguez’s identification as a person of interest only emerged on Friday, leading to his apprehension on charges of capital murder in Shreveport, Louisiana. He now awaits extradition back to Texas to face these serious allegations.
On the day of the crime, Gonzalez’s father left for work in the morning, maintaining communication with his daughter through text messages. The 11-year-old girl told her father of a knock at the door, to which he instructed her not to open it. She texted him back that she wouldn’t and would stay in her bed. This was the final exchange between them.
Upon the father’s return in the afternoon, he discovered his daughter’s lifeless body and called 911. Gonzalez’s body was concealed in a plastic trash bag that had been placed within a laundry basket, hidden beneath a bed.
As the investigation unfolded, a significant breakthrough was made. Investigators uncovered a key within the family’s apartment, which was later determined to open the door to Garcia-Rodriguez’s apartment. Garcia-Rodriguez’s roommates had their keys at the time of police interviews.
