Police capture suspected serial killer in Texas

CHICAGO: Police in Texas on Tuesday captured a man they described as a serial killer who took the lives of at least three people in seven days.

Jose Gilberto Rodriguez was arrested after a 14-minute car chase with police, and charged with two counts of capital murder. A third murder charge was expected Wednesday once additional evidence was processed, police said.

A resident of a Houston suburb alerted authorities to the location of the 46-year-old’s vehicle Tuesday morning, just hours after police alerted the public that a serial killer may be on the loose.

Police described Rodriguez as a parolee who was supposed to be monitored by a tracker attached to his ankle, but who removed it a few days prior to allegedly committing his crimes.

The Houston Chronicle reported that Rodriguez was a convicted sex offender, and had an extensive and violent past dating back to at least 1989.

His latest alleged crimes exposed failure by local law enforcement to pursue the parolee for violating the terms of his release from prison.

“There’s not enough law enforcement officers that are focusing on parolees,” Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo told a news conference.

“We’ve had several cases where somebody cuts their monitor, and the next thing you know they’re murdering somebody.”

Law enforcement officials expressed relief that Rodriguez was arrested without incident after a car chase ended with police blocking his path. A pistol was recovered in his car, police said.

Detectives said they did not yet have a motive for Rodriguez’s alleged crime spree.

Rodriguez is suspected of a crime spree that began July 9 with a home invasion robbery.

He allegedly went on to kill at least three people and was also tied to the robbery and shooting of a 22-year-old Houston metro service worker, described Tuesday evening as in serious, but stable condition at a hospital. — AFP