Former Olympic boxer Félix Verdejo Sánchez has been found guilty of the murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Keishla Rodríguez, in a case that captivated the US District Court of Puerto Rico for nearly a month.
Rodríguez, 27, vanished on April 29, 2021, after arranging to meet Verdejo to share news of her pregnancy. Her family reported her disappearance, and two days later, her lifeless body was tragically discovered in a lagoon in San Juan. An autopsy revealed that she drowned after being injected with drugs.
After three days of deliberation, the jury, comprising three women and nine men, convicted Verdejo of kidnapping resulting in death and causing the death of an unborn child. However, they could not reach unanimous verdicts on charges related to carjacking and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
Throughout the trial, the defense attempted to paint Verdejo as a nonviolent and respectable individual, presenting nine witnesses to support their case. However, the weight of the evidence against him proved overwhelming, leading to the jury’s decisive verdict.
Verdejo’s sentencing is set for November 3, with potential life imprisonment for the felonies he committed. The conviction has brought some measure of closure to Keishla Rodríguez’s grieving family, who hope that he carries the burden of his actions for the rest of his life.
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The tragic incident sparked protests in Puerto Rico, shining a spotlight on the urgent issue of violence against women on the island. In 2021 alone, 53 women and girls lost their lives due to gender-based violence, underscoring the need for immediate action to address this serious problem.
Keishla Rodríguez, a woman who adored animals and worked at a pet grooming business, will be forever remembered by her family and community, while her murderer, once an Olympic hopeful, now awaits his fate.
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