David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that a Wilmington man pled guilty in federal court today to one count of engaging in interstate murder-for-hire. During the hearing before Chief District Court Judge Colm F. Connolly, Javier A. Rodriguez, 47, admitted that he hired a hitman to kill his ex-wife. Pursuant to his guilty plea, Rodriguez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Sentencing was set for October 25, 2022.
According to statements made in open court, Rodriguez offered an FBI confidential source $10,000 to kill his wife. During a series of meetings with the confidential source in February 2022, Rodriguez discussed different ways to kill his ex-wife and eventually gave the confidential source a $5,000 down payment, with the remaining $5,000 to be paid after his ex-wife was killed. Shortly after handing the money over, Rodriguez told the confidential source, “I got to eliminate this b****, dog.”
U.S. Attorney Weiss commented on the sentence, “The FBI partnered with the Wilmington Police Department and other law enforcement agencies to prevent the murder of an innocent woman, while also ensuring that sufficient evidence was gathered to successfully prosecute this dangerous defendant. Soliciting another person to have a former spouse killed is a particularly heinous crime. My office will continue to work with all our law enforcement partners to protect our community members from violence in all forms.”
“The FBI continues to protect the public from offenders who have such bold indifference for human life,” said Thomas J. Sobocinski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore field office. “This case serves as a notice to those who commit, or conspire to commit, acts of violence in our communities that they will be held responsible.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Violent Crime Taskforce, which is a partnership of law enforcement officers from the FBI, Wilmington Police Department, Delaware State Police, Delaware Probation and Parole, and New Castle County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander P. Ibrahim and Christopher L. de Barrena-Sarobe are prosecuting the case.
Source: USDOJ
