An example of handcuffs being placed on a suspect. Photo from Pixabay.
A former Riverside County sheriff’s deputy who was allegedly involved in a love triangle with the girlfriend of a man he killed during a 2014 attempted arrest was behind bars Friday and facing a murder charge.
Former Deputy Oscar Rodriguez was arrested Thursday, after being indicted in connection with the Jan. 27, 2014, shooting death of Luis Carlos Morin Jr. outside the Coachella home of the victim’s mother.
Prosecutors had initially cleared Rodriguez of any wrongdoing in the fatal shooting, but a lawsuit filed against the county by Morin’s family led to the discovery that the deputy was having an affair with Diana Perez, the mother of Morin’s children, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The same grand jury that indicted Rodriguez also indicted Perez on a charge of being an accessory to murder. She was arrested Thursday night in Indio but was released on $10,000 bail.
Rodriguez appeared in an Indio courtroom Friday afternoon, but his arraignment was put off until Jan. 3, the same day Perez is expected to be arraigned.
Rodriguez initially claimed self-defense in the shooting that took place outside Morin’s mother’s home, but Morin’s family alleged that Rodriguez was hiding in bushes, then attacked Morin from behind and shot him. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics 20 minutes later. The county last year reached a $7 million settlement with Morin’s family.
The family’s lawsuit led to a re-opening of the shooting investigation, with new evidence presented to the Riverside County Grand Jury over the past few weeks, leading to the indictments. Following the lawsuit, Rodriguez was placed on paid leave before resigning from the department last year.
Rodriguez faces life in prison if convicted, while Perez would face up to three years.
“As the son of a law enforcement officer and prosecutor for nearly 20 years, I know firsthand that the people who wear the badge are good people,” District Attorney Mike Hestrin said. “They love and protect this community each and every day and can be trusted, but when someone violates that trust and abuses his power, that person will be held accountable — just like anyone else. No one is above the law.”
–City News Service
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