Who is Juan Carlos Garcia Rodriguez? Suspect identified in 11-year-old Maria Gonzalez’s gruesome murder

Guatemalan migrant Carlos Garcia Rodriguez was recently identified as a suspect in the gruesome murder of Maria Gonzalez. An 11-year-old Pasadena girl, Maria was found strangled and s*xually assaulted under her bed on Saturday, August 12.

Maria Gonzalez, who lived at an apartment complex located at 1004 Main St in Pasadena, was found dead by her father after he returned home from work on Saturday. Her body was reportedly stuffed inside a plastic trash bag, placed inside a laundry basket, and concealed under a bed inside the home.

Upon making the horrifying discovery, Maria’s father, Carmelo Gonzalez, called first responders, who pronounced the 11-year-old dead at the scene. Authorities said that the girl was s*xually assaulted before being strangled to death.

Nearly a week after the brutal slaying, on Friday, August 18, Texas police identified Carlos Garcia Rodriguez (18) as a person of interest in the case. Investigators said that a key found near Maria's body led them to Garcia Rodriguez, who lived in the same apartment building as the victim. The key reportedly opened Carlos Garcia Rodriguez's apartment, where he had been living with two other people for at least three to four weeks.

Authorities said that they interviewed the suspect, who has not been seen since Monday afternoon. Police added that they are awaiting DNA results to determine if an arrest warrant should be issued in connection to the case.

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Maria Gonzalez murder suspect Carlos Garcia Rodriguez entered the United States in January

Carlos Garcia Rodriguez (Image via Legacy/X)

Authorities have released an image of the suspect, Carlos Garcia Rodriguez, and offered a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to his whereabouts. Carlos Garcia Rodriguez was tied to 11-year-old Pasadena girl Maria Gonzalez’s murder after his apartment key was found at the crime scene.

The suspect has reportedly been missing after police interviewed him about the case on Monday. Pasadena PD chief Josh Bruegger said:

“I think there’s a chance somebody knows where he’s at and if they do, we’re asking that they reach out to us, either the department or Crime Stoppers, which is offering a reward for information that leads to his arrest.”

Investigators said Carlos Garcia-Rodriguez, who had been living in Pasadena for three to four weeks, entered the United States through El Paso in January 2023. According to Click 2 Houston, before moving to Pasadena, the 18-year-old was reportedly living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with people that sponsored him to be released by immigration.

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Fundraiser launched to help Maria Gonzalez's family pay for funeral expenses

In the wake of his daughter’s death, Carmelo Gonzalez revealed that Maria was home alone at the time of the incident. Maria Gonzalez’s mother, Ana Elizabeth Xitumul Saput, stayed back in Guatemala, while the father and daughter moved to Houston three months ago.

On the day of the incident, Carmelo Gonzalez said that his daughter texted him that someone was knocking on the door. Gonzalez reportedly asked family members to check on his daughter who could not be found by them in the apartment. He found his daughter five hours after receiving the initial text.

In a statement to Telemundo 47 from Guatemala, the victim’s mother demanded justice for her daughter, saying:

“I don’t want to cry anymore, because I have a bad heart. I want justice. I need her killer to turn himself in and I’m asking God that kind-hearted people help us bring our daughter’s remains back to Guatemala.”

Maria’s mother added that she wanted to see her daughter one last time before she was buried. Crime stoppers who have offered a $5000 reward for information leading to the suspect’s arrest also created a GoFundMe to help Maria’s family pay for her funeral expenses. The fundraiser has raised $36,000 at the time of this writing.