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Rodriguez A Suspect In Missing Lubbock Teenager Case
For the first time, a suspect is named in the case of a missing Lubbock teenager. The man, Rosendo Rodriguez III, is already in jail on murder charges.
KAMC-28 first told you on Wednesday about police investigating a possible link between Rodriguez and the disappearance of Joanna Rogers.
That connection was never expected to come out. However, it did Wedesday in a bond reduction hearing for Rodriguez. So on Thursday, the Lubbock Sheriff`s Department explained just what was meant when a Lubbock detective said Rodriguez was being investigated in the disappearance of Rogers.
"I would say they knew each other through electronic communication," said Lubbock Chief Deputy Paul Scarborough, about Rodriguez`s name being found on Rogers` computer just after she disappeared.
It has been 19 months since the 16-year-old went missing.
In September, when Rodriguez was arrested for the murder of Summer Baldwin, his computer was searched. Scarborough says Rogers` name was found on it.
"Based on circumstances with the Baldwin case and the information we have, aside from the computer link, he came to the forefront as a reasonable suspect," he says.
What that other information is, Scarborough will not say.
Does the Lubbock Sheriff`s Department think there was a relationship between Rodriguez and Rogers? "I really am not at liberty to go into that at this point," says Scarborough. "It is an ongoing investigation and we have had some contact with Rosendo`s attorney."
Kathy Rogers, Joanna`s mother, says she has never heard of Rosendo Rodriguez.
"He doesn`t look familiar to me," she says. "The name doesn`t sound familiar. He`s never been to my house. He`s not familiar at all."
The new break gives Mrs. Rogers hope she will soon find Joanna.
"It does change my perspective on things suddenly, like what will happen when and if we find her," she says. "We get used to things as they are, and then suddenly, I have to switch gears.
"I feel like this is the first decent lead since Joanna disappeared."
Late Thursday, a Marine Corps discharge board decided to discharge Rodriguez from the Marine Reserves. It took more than six hours for the panel of three to come to the decision. It was a 2-1 vote to remove Rodriguez, who will leave with a less than honorable discharge.
During the hearing, KAMC-28 heard more detailed information about what Rodriguez told police about the night Summer Baldwin died. He says he and Baldwin went to the Holiday Inn on Avenue Q to have consentual sex. After doing so, he says Baldwin pulled out a crack pipe. Rodriguez says he then grabbed it from her because he does not believe in drugs. According to him, that`s when Baldwin pulled out a knife and attacked him. Rodriguez tells police he then put her in a choke hold and that`s when she died.
A decision to reduce Rodriguez`s bond, which stands at $1 million is expected after the first of the year. Also at that time, Judge Jim Bob Darnell will decide if Rodriguez can keep his defense counsel.