Javier Rodriguez, a 19-year-old from Wisconsin, has been handed a 10-year prison sentence for a reckless homicide that led to the death of a 10-year-old girl. Rodriguez admitted guilt in June for the second-degree homicide of Isdennyeliz Ortiz, which took place in 2024. The sentencing was carried out in Milwaukee County, where the judge also acknowledged the nearly 14 months Rodriguez spent in pretrial detention. After serving his prison term, Rodriguez will be under supervised release for an additional eight years.
The tragic event took place on May 31, 2024, in a three-story house on West Orchard Street in Milwaukee’s south side. The house was inhabited by related individuals, including Ortiz and Rodriguez. Ortiz was asleep in her mother’s bed when a bullet, fired from the upper floor of the house, penetrated the ceiling and hit her.
According to the police report, Rodriguez, who was 18 at the time, had been handling a firearm when it unintentionally discharged. The bullet reportedly passed through a couch cushion, the floor, and the ceiling of the upper unit where Rodriguez lived, before fatally striking Ortiz in the chest. Rodriguez fled the scene before the police arrived but was apprehended and charged a few days later.
The victim’s mother described the terrifying moment when she realized her daughter had been shot. She heard Ortiz say “ouch,” and when she didn’t respond to her mother’s questions, the mother turned on the light to find Ortiz bleeding from a chest wound and a fresh bullet hole in the ceiling.
Rodriguez reportedly confessed his fault to the victim’s mother, saying, “It’s my fault. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” The victim’s 14-year-old sister also remembered Rodriguez expressing similar feelings of guilt and regret.
Rodriguez’s grandmother also shared her account of the incident, stating that Rodriguez had rushed into her room asking if they were okay, followed by his father who informed her of the tragic accident.
Security camera footage played a pivotal role in identifying Rodriguez as the defendant. The footage showed Rodriguez, his father, and a third person near an above-ground swimming pool, with Rodriguez visibly holding a firearm. Moments later, a loud bang was heard.
The investigation also revealed that a shot had been fired in the residence about a month before the fatal incident. However, no one was injured in that instance. During the investigation, several firearms were discovered at the Rodriguez residence.
Before accepting a plea deal, Rodriguez was facing a potential maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.