NEW YORK POST
A Guatemalan migrant has been nabbed and charged with sexually assaulting and fatally strangling an 11-year-old Texas girl, then stuffing her body in a laundry bag under her bed.
Juan Carlos Garcia Rodriguez, 18, was on the lam for nearly a week after the horrific Aug 12 assault of little Maria Gonzalez in Pasadena before cops caught up with him in Louisiana on Saturday and he confessed, KHOU-TV reported.
Rodriguez — who crossed the US border with Mexico in January, self-surrendered to authorities and was then cut loose again — was charged with capital murder and is awaiting extradition back to Texas.
He lived in the same apartment complex as Maria and her family outside Houston — and was tied to her brutal slaying after accidentally dropping his apartment key in their home after the crime, officials have said.
The body of his young victim was found by her father, Carmelo Gonzalez, in the bag under her bed at their home, authorities have said.
“This arrest has brought the family and community some peace,” Maria’s family said in a statement, according to KHOU.
“We are extremely thankful that he cannot cause this type of pain to anybody again,” the family said. “I ask for those who are in charge to give us justice. May he be burdened with the full with of the law for what he has done to my daughter.”
Carmelo Gonzalez said he left for work around 9:45 a.m. on the day of his daughter’s murder — and about 15 minutes later got a text from the girl saying someone was knocking on their door.
The dad told her not to open the door because she was home alone.
He repeatedly called her back, but the girl didn’t answer.
He returned home and made the gruesome discovery.
