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DNA Match Leads to Capture of Serial Killer in Philadelphia
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Tuesday, January 18, 2011
On Monday morning, January 17, the Pennsylvania DNA database received a hit identifying the Kensington strangler and serial killer, as being 22 year old Antonio Rodriguez. The police initiated a massive manhunt across the city of Philadelphia for Rodriguez and by 6:30 PM that evening he was arrested. Rodriguez is allegedly responsible for strangling and killing three young women since November 2010.
Rodriguez, a convicted felon, was required to submit his DNA when he was released from jail on August 29, 2010. He was released on probation from the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility after being imprisoned for nearly three months for a felony drug charge. His DNA profile had been waiting to be uploaded into the state DNA database since October 25, but because of a backlog that averages about eight weeks, it was finally uploaded on January 10, 2011.
The first two victims were sexually assaulted and strangled. Elaine Goldberg's body was found November 3, 2010 and Nicole Piacentini was found ten days later. Philadelphia police submitted DNA taken from the crime scenes on November 23, 2010. Had Rodriguez's DNA been in the system then, he might have been identified about three weeks before the final victim was killed, Casey Mahoney, whose body was found December 15th.
Read the news article here.
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