Jorge L. Rodriguez | Homicide Watch Trentonhttp://trenton.homicidewatch.org/suspects/jorge-l-rodriguez/Latest news about Jorge L. Rodriguezen-usThu, 26 May 2016 13:11:09 -0400Trenton killer gets 30 years, but victim's family lost their 'glue'http://trenton.homicidewatch.org/2016/05/26/trenton-killer-gets-30-years-but-victims-family-lost-their-glue/<p>She was the strongest of her five sisters, a “rock of knowledge” and the "family glue," who transcended her hardscrabble upbringing.</p> <p>“She was the rationalization of our dismal existence,” Rose Chapman, the younger sister of murder victim Keisha Alexander, said Thursday at sentencing for her sister’s killer.</p> <p>Jorge Rodriguez, 22, was a “soulless, rhythmless child” who could have made his life better but instead gave into his own abuse-filled past.</p> <a href="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2015/04/Jorge-Rodriguez.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-3135" src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2015/04/Jorge-Rodriguez-240x300.jpg" alt="Jorge Rodriguez" width="240" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Jorge Rodriguez</p> <p>His defense attorney, Kathleen Redpath-Perez, said he was sexually abused as a child and spent most of his life in the care of child welfare officials. He was reunited with his mother at 16 and graduated from Nottingham High School in Hamilton but later found himself in trouble.</p> <p>They came from tough backgrounds but led very different lives. Alexander was a 49-year-old phlebotomist. Rodriguez was a serial burglar who owned eight convictions as a juvenile.<span id="more-4295"></span></p> <p>They confronted each other for the first time on the morning of June 21, 2014, when Rodriguez, looking to steal belongings from Alexander’s Edgewood Avenue home, reached through a rear window and unlocked the door.</p> <p>Alexander fought and scrapped for her life but Rodriguez, armed with a knife, overpowered her. He claims he was high on drugs and alcohol when he stabbed her more than 40 times.</p> <p>“He could have walked out the door he came in,” Assistant Prosecutor Kathleen Petrucci said.  “It’s insufficient to call this a senseless murder.”</p> <p>Police found Alexander partially clothed, on the toilet. She was slumped against the wall of a locked bathroom, covered in blood and with puncture wounds all over her body.</p> <p>Rodriguez became a suspect after he showed up at Capital Health Regional Medical Center with a laceration on his arm and blood on his pants and shirt.</p> <p>Rodriguez confessed to stabbing Alexander, a complete stranger, and stealing from her home. Police found a bloody broken knife blade, which DNA tests showed had both Rodriguez and Alexander’s blood.</p> <p>Some of Rodriguez’s belongings were also found inside the victim’s home, prosecutors said.</p> <p>Rodriguez was indicted on a dozen criminal counts, including felony murder and sexual assault. He pleaded guilty in April to felony murder under terms of a negotiated plea deal.</p> <p>He and Alexander confronted each other again Thursday, when Rodriguez was sent to prison for 30 years by Judge Darlene Pereksta.</p> <p>Alexander’s family brought her ashes to court, along with a picture of her in a yellow sun dress, as a symbolic gesture that she lives on in their hearts and minds.</p> <p>Kenya Jenkins, Alexander’s daughter, described her mother as the “sweetest person ever.”</p> <p>“I miss my mother so much,” she said. “I have visions of her. I can’t sleep sometimes.”</p> <p>The judge called Alexander a “beautiful woman with a lot left to give.”</p> <a href="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2014/06/Keisha-Alexander.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1774" src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2014/06/Keisha-Alexander-225x300.jpg" alt="Keisha Alexander" width="225" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Keisha Alexander</p> <p>She described Rodriguez’s actions as “heinous” and said his past was no excuse for the situation he found himself facing.</p> <p>“She didn't have the easiest time in life, either,” Pereksta said. “Not everyone is given an easy path. Nothing I can do can bring true justice to her family. Thirty [years] with a 30, it can be argued that's not justice.”</p> <p>The plea deal, the judge said, spared Alexander’s family from reliving the trauma of a trial.</p> <p>The family wanted "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth," Chapman said, but respected the outcome, even though it didn't agree with it.</p> <p>Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri said in a statement the plea agreement “guaranteed that [Rodriguez] would be sentenced to a state prison term of 30 years, every day of which he will serve.”</p> <p>Rodriguez will be 50 when he gets out of prison and can still salvage his life, while his victim cannot.</p> <p>Turning to the back of the court to face Alexander’s family, he apologized for the pain he has caused.</p> <p>“It probably doesn’t mean anything,” he said. “I believe God will forgive me. I hope you all will forgive me one day. I made a big mistake.”</p> <p>He said he plans to use his time in prison to transform himself and thanked Pereksta for “giving me a chance to come home one day to my family with a better name.”</p> <p>Rodriguez’s mother and brother followed suit, each offering condolence the family and saying nothing explained Rodriguez’s crime.</p> <p>“I'm so sorry for this, said Keith Belmont, Rodriguez’s older brother. “He wasn't born like this.”</p> <p>Keisha is in my heart every day of the week,” said Maria Belmont, Rodriguez’s mother. She then turned to her son, telling him she loved him “but you have to search your heart forgone yourself. You need to grow.”</p> <p>Chapman said she has already forgiven Rodriguez.</p> <p>“Forgiveness of yourself will take you a lifetime to find,” she said. "We search for a plug, a Band-Aid, the glue. She meant so much to us."</p> Isaac AviluceaThu, 26 May 2016 13:11:09 -0400http://trenton.homicidewatch.org/2016/05/26/trenton-killer-gets-30-years-but-victims-family-lost-their-glue/Keisha AlexanderJorge L. RodriguezSuspect in 2014 stabbing death offered a plea deal for 30 yearshttp://trenton.homicidewatch.org/2015/08/20/suspect-in-2014-stabbing-death-offered-a-plea-deal-for-30-years/<p>The man accused of fatally stabbing 49-year-old Keisha Alexander last year has been offered a plea deal of 30 years in state prison for murder.<br /> Jorge L. Rodriguez, 21, was indicted earlier this year on a dozen charges and faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if he is convicted of killing Alexander.</p> <a href="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2015/04/Jorge-Rodriguez.jpg"><img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2015/04/Jorge-Rodriguez-150x150.jpg" alt="Jorge Rodriguez" width="150" height="150" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-3135" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Jorge Rodriguez</p> <p>His plea deal calls for the 30 years to be run consecutively to any time a judge sentences to him in two separate cases for a January 2014 burglary in Lawrence Township and possession of an imitation firearm from 2013 out of Hamilton, said Casey DeBlasio, spokeswoman for the county prosecutor’s office.</p> <p>The burglary charge carries a maximum sentence of five years and the imitation gun charge carries a maximum penalty of 18 months in state prison. The sentences are stayed while the murder case is pending, court officials said.<br /> Rodriguez’s attorney, Kathleen Redpath-Perez, said Thursday in court she intends to file court papers to try to suppress her client’s statement to police. She may also seek an expert to determine Rodriguez’s “mental state” when he spoke to police, although she said her client’s competency does not appear to be in question.</p> <p>Several members of Rodriguez’s family were present for the proceeding. Rodriguez, his hands shackled and wearing orange prison garb and a skull cap, waived to them when he was brought into court by sheriff’s officers.<br /> Rodriguez is accused of breaking into Alexander’s Edgewood Avenue apartment early June 21, 2014. He beat and sexually assaulted Alexander after she confronted him, prosecutors have said, then stabbed her with a knife and left her inside her apartment to die.</p> <p>A neighbor heard the woman screaming and called police. Alexander died at the scene.<br /> Rodriguez was arrested the same day as the murder remains in jail on $500,000 cash bail.</p> Isaac AviluceaThu, 20 Aug 2015 16:51:34 -0400http://trenton.homicidewatch.org/2015/08/20/suspect-in-2014-stabbing-death-offered-a-plea-deal-for-30-years/Keisha AlexanderJorge L. RodriguezTrenton man indicted in connection with 2014 murder of Keisha Alexanderhttp://trenton.homicidewatch.org/2015/04/22/trenton-man-indicted-in-connection-with-2014-murder-of-keisha-alexander/<p>A man accused of fatally stabbing 49-year-old <a href="http://trenton.homicidewatch.org/victims/keisha-alexander/">Keisha Alexander</a> last year has been indicted in connection with the case. </p> <a href="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2015/04/Jorge-Rodriguez.jpg"><img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2015/04/Jorge-Rodriguez-150x150.jpg" alt="Jorge Rodriguez" width="150" height="150" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-3135" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Jorge Rodriguez</p> <p><a href="http://trenton.homicidewatch.org/suspects/jorge-l-rodriguez/">Jorge L. Rodriguez</a>, 21, is accused of breaking into Alexander’s Edgewood Avenue apartment to commit a burglary and then stabbing her in the process. </p> <p>According to prosecutors in the case, sometime before 8 a.m. on June 21, 2014, Rodriguez reached through a rear window to Alexander’s apartment and unlocked the back door. He then physically and sexually assaulted Alexander, and then stabbed her with a knife. </p> <p>Police were dispatched to the apartment after a neighbor called emergency 911 and reported hearing a woman scream. Alexander was pronounced dead at the scene. <span id="more-3130"></span></p> <p>Rodriguez was arrested the same day as the murder and charged in connection with the case. He was indicted last week on 12 different charges including aggravated murder, burglary, aggravated sexual assault and weapons offenses.</p> <p>Rodriguez faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if found guilty of the aggravated murder charge. He remains in jail on $500,000 cash bail.</p> <a href="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2014/06/Keisha-Alexander.jpg"><img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2014/06/Keisha-Alexander-150x150.jpg" alt="Keisha Alexander" width="150" height="150" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1774" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Keisha Alexander</p> <p>Alexander’s friends who spoke to The Trentonian on the day of her death described her as being a kind and caring person – the kind of person every community needs. She often spent time gardening in her backyard, her friends said, and she loved taking care of plants that hung on her apartment’s window sill.</p> Penny RayWed, 22 Apr 2015 12:13:07 -0400http://trenton.homicidewatch.org/2015/04/22/trenton-man-indicted-in-connection-with-2014-murder-of-keisha-alexander/Keisha AlexanderJorge L. RodriguezSuspect in Keisha Alexander murder arrested, chargedhttp://trenton.homicidewatch.org/2014/06/22/suspect-in-keisha-alexander-murder-arrested-charged/<a href="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2014/06/TRENTON-HOMICIDE-SCK_9969.jpg" ><img class="size-large wp-image-1764" src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2014/06/TRENTON-HOMICIDE-SCK_9969-500x332.jpg" alt="The scene at the 1000 block of Edgewood Avenue, where Keisha Alexander was killed in her apartment saturday morning. (Trentonian Photo/SCOTT KETTERER)" width="500" height="332" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The scene at the 1000 block of Edgewood Avenue, where Keisha Alexander was killed in her apartment Saturday morning. (Trentonian Photo/SCOTT KETTERER)</p> <p>A city man has been charged in connection with the murder of <a href="http://trenton.homicidewatch.org/victims/keisha-alexander/" >Keisha Alexander</a>, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office said on Sunday.</p> <p>According to Casey DeBlasio, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office, 20-year-old <a href="http://trenton.homicidewatch.org/suspects/jorge-l-rodriguez/" >Jorge L. Rodriguez</a> of Trenton was arrested on Saturday and later charged in connection with Alexander's death.<br /> <span id="more-1773"></span></p> <a href="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2014/06/Keisha-Alexander.jpg" ><img class=" wp-image-1774" src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2014/06/Keisha-Alexander-225x300.jpg" alt="Keisha Alexander" width="169" height="225" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Keisha Alexander</p> <p>DeBlasio told The Trentonian that Rodriguez was slapped with murder, burglary and weapons charges.</p> <p>DeBlasio said that the incident that led to Alexander's death started as a burglary. </p> <p>Prosecutors believe Rodriguez stabbed Alexander to death with a knife in her apartment.</p> <p>Rodriguez is currently being held on $500,000 cash bail.</p> Scott KettererSun, 22 Jun 2014 15:25:47 -0400http://trenton.homicidewatch.org/2014/06/22/suspect-in-keisha-alexander-murder-arrested-charged/Keisha AlexanderJorge L. RodriguezAuthorities investigating West Ward Homicidehttp://trenton.homicidewatch.org/2014/06/21/authorities-investigating-apparent-west-ward-homicide/<a href="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2014/06/Keisha-Alexander.jpg" ><img class="size-medium wp-image-1774" src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/trenton/files/2014/06/Keisha-Alexander-225x300.jpg" alt="Keisha Alexander" width="225" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Keisha Alexander</p> <p>She may not have had many friends in Trenton, but those she did have said she meant the world to them.</p> <p>Keisha Alexander, 49, was killed in her apartment on Edgewood Avenue early</p> <p>Saturday morning, the exact circumstances are unknown, though her friends said they were told Alexander put up a fight.</p> <p>“She was a good and decent person,” said Eugene Lewis. “This was a person who was senselessly slaughtered.”<br /> <span id="more-1757"></span></p> <p>Lewis, a longtime friend and Edgewood Avenue resident said he and Alexander had planned to go food shopping today, but woke up to a murder scene. Lewis was understandably choked up as he described his friendship. The pair was set to go food shopping Saturday morning.</p> <p>“We were going to go food shopping,” Lewis said, pointing down the street. “That’s my lunch still sitting on my car.”</p> <p>Fighting back any tears, Lewis remained stoic as he described waking up to a crime scene in his neighborhood.</p> <p>He described Alexander as being a kind and caring person – the kind of person every community needs. Her other friends said she was friendly and came off as approachable, though they’re not sure that had anything to do with what happened. The group of friends and neighbors said she would talk to anyone because that was how she was.</p> <p>“She wasn’t in no domestic dispute, she wasn’t into nothing,” Lewis said. “She was always smiling.”</p> <p>Her friends said she enjoyed gardening and often spent time in her back yard tending to her own garden along with several plants hanging on her apartment’s window sill.</p> <p>“He didn’t have to kill her,” said a friend who preferred to remain anonymous. “Why’d he kill her?”</p> <p>According to Casey DeBlasio, a spokeswoman for the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, said that Trenton police responded to a 9-1-1 call shortly after 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning after a neighbor reported hearing a woman screaming.</p> <p>Lewis said that Alexander’s neighbor told him there was tremendous amount of rumbling for several minutes followed by a loud scream and what seemed to have been the scuffle that led to Alexander’s death.</p> <p>“Her neighbor is in shock," Lewis said. “She was awakened to screams … she is so shaken that she can’t even walk. How do you think she feels?”</p> <p>When police arrived at the home, they found a woman bleeding from an apparent stab wound, DeBlasio said. Alexander was pronounced dead at the scene.</p> <p>It’s unclear exactly what happened, but DeBlasio said that police are exploring all possibilities in their investigation.</p> <p>There were rumors circulating that someone had been arrested. The prosecutor’s office confirmed that the Homicide Task Force had one suspect in custody and that charges are forthcoming.</p> <p>For Lewis, and the rest of Alexander’s friends, they are certain of one thing – they’ll miss Keisha.</p> <p>The homicide is being investigated by the Mercer County Homicide Task Force and the Trenton Police Department. Anyone having information is asked to contact the Mercer County Homicide Task Force at (609) 989-6406. Tipsters may also use the Trenton police confidential tip line at (609) 989-3663. Tipsters may also call the Trenton Crime Stoppers tip line at (609) 278-8477. Those wishing to text a tip regarding the killing can send a message labeled TCSTIPS to Trenton Crime Stoppers at 274637.</p> Scott KettererSat, 21 Jun 2014 14:16:15 -0400http://trenton.homicidewatch.org/2014/06/21/authorities-investigating-apparent-west-ward-homicide/Keisha AlexanderJorge L. Rodriguez