Police arrest man suspected of murdering wife

Detectives with the police department’s Crimes Against Persons Unit arrested and charged a man suspected of murdering his wife in El Paso’s Lower Valley.

Officers were conducting a welfare check on a woman living at a residence in the 300 block of Apodaca Place.

At about at 3:05 am April 24, 2017 officers found 26-year old Ruby Rodriguez dead inside the residence.

Police said an investigation revealed 27-year old Rodrigo Rodriguez argued with his wife. The fight escalated to the point where Rodriguez stabbed and killed the woman, police said.

Rodrigo Rodriguez fled the scene, but was later spotted by a Department of Public Safety Helicopter crew at around 7:30 am.

The suspect was allegedly found in a canal/irrigation area near South Americas and Southside Road, which was south of the residence.

Police took him into custody without incident and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility late Monday evening.

The ABC-7 I-Team got ahold of a lengthy list of prior convictions for Rodrigo Rodriguez.

In 2008, he was convicted of Burglary of a Habitation and Harboring a Runaway Child.

In 2013, he was convicted of Assault Causing Bodily Injury on A Family Member.

In January 2017, he was charged with Assault on a Family Member for allegedly hitting Ruby Rodriguez in the face and slamming a door on her leg.

Ruby’s brother Richard Rodriguez, who lives in Houston, told ABC-7 the couple had only been together for about a year.

Richard said the couple had a baby in November, but Ruby moved back into their mother’s house in December after the alleged assault at the hands of Rodrigo.

Richard said Rodrigo continued to stay in the home on Apodaca Place where Ruby was found murdered on Monday morning.

Richard said Ruby was at the home to pick up her baby daughter Leila.

“I know earlier in the day, (Rodrigo) asked for the baby. He wanted to be part of the baby’s life and Ruby let him,” Richard said. “That night, she was going to pick Leila up, but Rodrigo left Leila with his sister, which leads me to believe he planned what he was going to do.”

Sandra Garcia, Director of Client Services at the Center Against Family Violence, said a good rule of thumb for women in similar situations is to “find support with family members and making sure that there is always someone there with you if that’s possible.”

Garcia said women should always make sure they are in a safe location when meeting those who have assaulted them before.

“Be safe in your decisions as much as possible. Again, taking someone with you, a public location where you can dropoff and pickup,” Garcia said, “You know, it can go from 0 to 60 in no time, and so don’t take that for granted.”

“I hope he rots in hell. Something snapped in this guy’s head, he couldn’t take it anymore. I don’t know, cowards always take the easy way out,” Richard said.

A Go Fund Me account has been set up to help the victim’s family pay for funeral expenses. If you would like to help, click here.