A devoted single mother who was strangled to death in her home just yards from her infant son’s bed was killed in June 1993, and the California hamlet of Port Hueneme was the scene of a horrific murder. Norma Rodriguez was murdered, and after questioning the suspect and administering a polygraph test, police took ten years to identify the killer. Betrayed: Flirting With Death on Investigation Discovery effectively explains this terrible and strange situation to viewers in a clear and sequential manner. We have the information you need if you are curious about what happened on that terrible day in June 1993 and where the offender is now. So let’s start.
Murder of Norma Rodriguez
How did Norma Rodriguez die?
On November 15, 1960, in the Hidalgo County Texas town of Mercedes, Norma Garcia Rodriguez was created. She was a single mother of two sons, Andrew, 11, and Austin, 4, and worked at Kmart in Oxnard. She was a beloved and respected resident of Port Hueneme in Ventura County, California. As a result, it was shocking when she was found dead on June 1, 1993, at her East B Street residence.
The victim’s ex-husband, Tony Rodriguez, who arrived at the scene with his brother, Hector Rodriguez, found the body. The ex-husband claimed he showed up as scheduled in the morning to pick up and transport their two sons to school. However, after several unsuccessful knocks, he used a credit card to open the door and enter the house, where he found his ex-wife lying dead on the floor. While ordering his two boys to go to their rooms and wait for the police to arrive, he called 911 and reported the incident.
The 32-year-old victim was found strangled with his face bandaged when police arrived at the scene. Hector admitted to cutting some of the tapes, saying he did so in hopes that Norma would still be alive at the time. Although the crime was violent, it was obvious to authorities that the killer had worked hard to stage the scene. Blood and evidence of forced entry were absent from the scene. It was apparent that the murder had not been committed with malicious intent since Norma’s purse had been found in her bedroom and there were few signs of a fight at the site. All of these facts supported the scholars’ claim that the murderer was likely someone who knew Norma, and that their refusal to look at her directly was evidenced by the fact that they hid their faces. A pair of house keys were also found next to the body and his shorts were a bit undone.
Who Killed Norma Rodriguez?
When Port Hueneme police first had suspicions about Tony, they arrested him and his brother and took them to the station for questioning. Tony had a solid alibi for the time of the murder, however. He had witnessed the incident while watching a baseball game with his brother and eldest son, Andrew. Andrew also told detectives that when he was dropped off at his house late at night, he discovered the front door locked and the house completely dark. He slipped into the house through the back window of his bedroom. At the time, Austin, her younger brother, reportedly told her, “Mom has a bandage on her face. Andrew, however, paid little heed and fell asleep. When they got rid of their polygraph suspicions, Tony and Hector were also exonerated.
Investigators learned of a certain Corey who was believed to be there at the time of the murder after speaking with Austin. Corey Davis, a nervous guy who worked with Norma, denied having a romantic relationship with her outside of the odd office interaction. He was also removed from the list of suspects after passing a polygraph examination. Police then learned of another co-worker, Beatrice, who claimed to be one of the employees who had gone to Norma’s house for a barbecue the day before the murder. Additionally, she revealed how the party hostess misplaced her house keys. Eventually the cops realized how the intruder got into the house without using force.
A second suspect has been identified after careful review of Norma’s guest list: Warren Mackey. Warren fiercely refuted claims from Norma’s colleagues that he had tried to start a romantic relationship with her against her wishes. He claimed that after he left the party last and watched TV with her, he went to a bar with his roommate and his roommate’s girlfriend. This claim was supported by the couple and Warren also passed a polygraph examination.
The case was dismissed as there was no further evidence. But it wasn’t until ten years later, when a lab official finally used newly developed technology to match DNA collected from the crime site, that the case was finally solved. The DNA matched Warren’s exactly. The police eventually realized that Warren’s use of the stolen keys to enter Norma’s house and choke her to death was motivated by his anger at being rejected. Detectives were stunned and one even said: ‘Of everyone we dealt with he was probably the coolest customer in the bunch. It just amazes you. A real sociopath can escape a polygraph test, so be careful when dealing with them.
Today, where is Warren Mackey?
When the police began investigating Norma’s case, Warren voluntarily gave them her DNA. He was taken into custody in August 2003 on suspicion of killing Norma. Warren pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 years to life within two years of his arrest. He was incarcerated in a California prison, according to government records.
Oralia Garci, the victim’s sister, later said, “It still stings like it happened yesterday. She is missing in my life. This wound does not heal. We just pushed it aside. We must keep moving forward and live for Norma.
