Pennsylvania man, 61, allegedly killed married mother, her husband, and their 1-year-old son in a fit of rage.
A 61-year-old Pennsylvania man, Jose Luis Rodriguez, has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder following the brutal killing of a married couple and their infant son. The massacre, which took place on September 12, allegedly stemmed from the wife’s refusal to leave her husband for Rodriguez.
The victims have been identified as Geraldina Peguero-Mancebo, 30, her husband, Junior Cabrera-Colon, 33, and their 1-year-old son, Jayden.
According to a criminal complaint, Rodriguez claimed he was in an “intimate relationship” with Peguero-Mancebo and had been giving her money. The complaint alleges that the violent incident began around 8:30 p.m. when Peguero-Mancebo entered Rodriguez’s vehicle with her son. Rodriguez drove them to a remote location, where he planned to kill her.
Rodriguez allegedly told police that he became “infuriated” when Peguero-Mancebo stated she would not leave Cabrera-Colon for him. In that moment, he allegedly shot Peguero-Mancebo in the back of the head. He then allegedly dumped her body at a location in Reading, Pennsylvania.
The complaint outlines further horrific details: Rodriguez allegedly took the 1-year-old, Jayden, and threw him into a lake. An autopsy concluded the toddler was alive when he entered the water, based on the presence of mud in his lungs. Rodriguez reportedly admitted to police that he refused to take the boy to a hospital “for fear of getting caught.”
Finally, Rodriguez is accused of shooting the husband, Cabrera-Colon, in the head.
Bodies Recovered, Charges Filed
Cabrera-Colon’s body was discovered first, on September 13, near Baer Park in Reading. The bodies of Peguero-Mancebo and Jayden were recovered in the following days, on September 19 and September 20, respectively.
Rodriguez reportedly confessed to the police and provided the murder weapon, a 9mm handgun.
Initially charged with the murder of Cabrera-Colon on September 19, Rodriguez was formally charged with two additional counts of first-degree murder on Monday, September 29, in connection with the deaths of Peguero-Mancebo and Jayden.
In addition to the murder charges, Rodriguez faces multiple other counts, including three counts of third-degree murder, two counts of abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence. He is currently being held without bond at Berks County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court on October 3.
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