Houston man murdered 3 in week-long 2018 crime spree, gets five life sentences
HOUSTON - A Houston man responsible for a week-long crime spree in north Houston in 2018 that left three dead and two robbed was sentenced to five life sentences and fined $20,000, announced Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.
Jose Gilberto Rodriguez, 51, a convicted sex offender on parole at the time, pleaded guilty to three counts of capital murder and two counts of aggravated robbery.
On Tuesday, the 51-year-old agreed to three life sentences without parole, stacked on top of each other, and also must serve two additional life sentences after pleading guilty to the two armed robberies.
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"This was a series of horrible and violent crimes, and we were preparing to seek the death penalty," Ogg said. "This plea agreement ensures that Jose Rodriguez will never again breathe free air and can never appeal these convictions or prison sentences."
According to DA Ogg, Rodriguez cannot appeal the convictions or sentences as part of the agreement and he will have to pay two $10,000 fines for each armed robbery.
Rodriguez had cut off his ankle monitor to escape detection and in July 2018, for one week, officials were able to connect Rodriguez to multiple crimes. Court records state Rodriguez robbed an elderly man in his 80s at gunpoint in his home on July 9, 2018, and four days later he killed Pamela Johnson, 52, inside her home in the 12400 block of Bent Pine Drive and then stole her car.
On July 14, 2018, he shot and killed 28-year-old Allie Barrow inside the Mattress Firm store she worked at in the 7000 block of FM 1960 then two days later on July 16, 1029, he shot a 22-year-old METROLift driver in northeast Houston around 3 a.m. Later the same day, he killed Eduardo Magana inside a Mattress One store near Crosstimers after Magana took his lunch break.
During his court hearing, Rodriguez remained silent, not explaining his actions, but he did speak to give his agreement with the plea. DA Ogg says he would have faced either life in prison without parole or the death penalty, if the case had gone to trial.
"Our hearts go out to all of the families of the victims and the surviving victims," Assistant District Attorney Samantha Knecht, chief of the DA’s Major Offenders Division said. "We also want to thank all of the law enforcement officers, including the Houston Police Department and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, for all of their hard work on this case."