News broke Saturday that former Puerto Rican Olympian Felix Verdejo was a “person of interest” in the death of Keishla Marlen Rodríguez Ortiz, with whom he was allegedly having an affair. Yesterday, Verdejo turned himself in to the authorities, and he now faces charges that will likely be revealed within the day.
According to Jake Donovan, those charges include:
– Kidnapping resulting in death
– Carjacking resulting in death
– Killing of unborn child
The U.S. Attorney’s Office “said no decision had been made whether to pursue the death penalty.”
The Athletic’s Lance Pugmire shared a copy of the criminal complaint, which details both the claims of an alleged accomplice and the evidence pointing towards Verdejo. A content warning for those uncomfortable with death.
The 27-year-old Verdejo is alleged to have punched Rodríguez in the face before injecting her with an unknown substance, binding her arms and legs, tying a block to her, hurling her off a bridge, and firing a pistol at her. According to Rodriguez’s family, she was pregnant with his child.
Rodríguez’s family said she was pregnant with Verdejo’s child. Keila Ortiz, the victim’s mother, told reporters that her daughter had called her before she vanished Thursday and told her that Verdejo was going to her house to see the results of a pregnancy test.
“I told her, ‘Be careful,’ because he had already threatened her,’’ Ortiz said. She said Verdejo had told her daughter not to have the baby, mentioning his career and family.
There really are no words for this; it’s a horrific, senseless act of cruelty, and all we can do at this point is support Rodríguez’s family and hope that justice will be done.