Félix Verdejo-Sánchez, a former Olympic boxer, has been convicted for the murder of his pregnant girlfriend and her unborn child. The 30-year-old was found guilty of executing a premeditated plan to kill Keishla Rodríguez Ortiz, 27, and her unborn baby, as announced by the Justice Department.
Federal prosecutors in Puerto Rico revealed that Verdejo-Sánchez lured Rodríguez Ortiz to his Dodge Durango on the morning of April 29, 2021. With the assistance of co-defendant Luis Antonio Cádiz-Martínez, Verdejo-Sánchez assaulted her, injected her with drugs, and bound her to a cement block using a metal wire.
The convicted murderer then drove her to the Teodoro Moscoso bridge, where, with the help of Cádiz-Martínez, he threw Rodríguez Ortiz into the San José Lagoon. According to the Justice Department, Verdejo-Sánchez subsequently jumped into the lagoon to ensure the death of both victims.
Prosecutors characterized the act as a premeditated plan to murder Rodríguez Ortiz, who was two months pregnant at the time, and her unborn child. The victim’s mother has reported that Verdejo-Sánchez had previously threatened Rodríguez Ortiz about her pregnancy.
The jury found Verdejo-Sánchez guilty of kidnapping resulting in death and killing an unborn child. However, they were unable to reach a consensus on charges of carjacking resulting in death and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Verdejo-Sánchez is set to be sentenced on November 3, but his fate is already determined. He is facing a mandatory life sentence.
United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow expressed solidarity with the family of Rodríguez Ortiz and the community seeking justice for the brutal act. He also praised the relentless pursuit of justice by federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety, the Puerto Rico Forensic Science Institute, and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice.
FBI San Juan Special Agent in Charge, Joseph González, acknowledged that no verdict can repair the damage caused. He expressed pride in his team’s dedication and thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the jury for their service.
Cádiz-Martínez pleaded guilty on November 28, 2022, to carjacking resulting in death and killing an unborn child. A sentencing hearing initially scheduled for May 1 of this year has been postponed, with a new date yet to be set.