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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (TCD) — A former professional boxer was sentenced last week for killing a woman pregnant with his child by drugging her, tying her to a block, and pushing her into a lagoon, where she died.
In a statement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico announced a federal judge in San Juan sentenced Félix Verdejo-Sánchez to life in prison for the 2021 murder of Keishla Rodriguez Ortiz and her unborn child. Verdejo-Sánchez was convicted in July of committing a kidnapping resulting in death and intentionally killing an unborn child.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, on April 29, 2021, Verdejo-Sánchez “executed a premeditated plan” to kill Rodriguez Ortiz, who was pregnant. She got into his Dodge Durango, and while in the car, Luis Antonio Cádiz-Martínez and Verdejo-Sánchez pumped her with drugs, then tied her to a cement block. They drove to the Teodoro Moscoso Bridge, and the two men threw Rodriguez Ortiz into a lagoon below.
Verdejo-Sánchez “later jumped into the lagoon in order to finish murdering both victims.”
Rodriguez Ortiz was reported missing to Puerto Rico Police on April 29, 2021. Her body was found two days later. The two men were indicted May 6, 2021, and were eligible for the death penalty.
According to The Associated Press, Cádiz-Martínez pleaded guilty last year and testified against Verdejo-Sánchez during his trial. Cádiz-Martínez revealed he called police and informed them where he and Verdejo-Sánchez left Rodriguez Ortiz’s body. She was reportedly still alive when they tossed her into the water.
The Associated Press reports Rodriguez Ortiz had fentanyl and a horse sedative in her system. Prior to the murder, Verdejo-Sánchez reportedly told Rodriguez Ortiz to get an abortion.
Verdejo-Sánchez competed in the 2012 Olympics in London and later became a professional boxer in the lightweight division.
U.S. Attorney for Puerto Rico W. Stephen Muldrow said following the sentence, “Today’s life sentence rightly holds Verdejo-Sánchez responsible for the pain and suffering he inflicted on his victims. To this day, the defendant maintains his unrepentant attitude. Like Verdejo-Sánchez now knows, anyone who commits cold-blooded crimes of violence in violation of federal law will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law by the Justice Department and this office.”
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