Amber Alert murder victim was part of child rape case against suspect, police say
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Following a pursuit that ended with a suspected killer taking his own life, West Richland, Wash. police held a press conference Wednesday morning to share more details in the Elias Huizar double-murder and kidnapping case.
The multi-state manhunt began Monday afternoon after a shooting at William Wiley Elementary School in West Richland left Huizar’s ex-wife Amber Marie Rodriguez dead, after which police said Huizar killed the underage mother of his 1-year-old son, kidnapped the boy, and fled.
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During the conference, officials revealed Rodriguez was a para-educator at the elementary school at the time of her death, and the 17-year-old girl, Angelica Santos, was shot and killed in a local residence. It is not clear which murder happened first, and autopsies are still pending.
Officials also announced that the teenager was the victim in the pending charges against Huizar for third-degree rape in 2022. The incident, according to court records, led to the birth of the child that was kidnapped on April 22, 2024.
Santos reportedly had a protective order against Huizar at the time of her death.
After multiple reported sightings throughout the day, Oregon State Police spotted Huizar driving south on Interstate 5 late Tuesday afternoon.
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After a short chase, police say Huizar crashed his car near Eugene before shooting and killing himself. His son was found unharmed.
The full press conference can be viewed in the video player below:
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