The Most Famous Crimes in Lubbock History Part 1

For much of Lubbock's history, we've been a sleepy, ag-centered town out in the middle of nowhere, where nothing happens, and people don't lock their doors...right?

Well, not exactly. Lubbock has had its fair share of shocking and famous crimes, from serial killers to cold cases and everything in between. Here is a look at some of the most famous crimes committed in Lubbock.... Part 1.

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Rosendo Rodriguez Suitcase Murders

In 2004, every business in Lubbock had the same sign taped to the door: a missing persons poster for a teenage girl named Joanna Rogers. I felt a chill the first time I saw it: I knew her. I had met her as a young girl, a friend of my younger sister. I had also seen her perform recently in a play, too: Night of the Living Dead. I said a little prayer to myself that they would find her each time I saw it, as the initial shock evolved into a deep, black dread. My prayers were answered, but it took a long time.

It would be 29 months before her red hair, and her little body would be found inside a suitcase at the Lubbock dump, thanks in large part to excellent record keeping by our city's sanitation department.

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Finding Joanna Rogers

She might not have ever been found, left to spend eternity under banana peels and newspapers, except that her killer revealed her location, probably in hopes of being granted some measure of protection against the death penalty. While he had "gotten away with" Jonanna's murder, he didn't have the same luck with Summer Baldwin.

The Murder Of Summer Baldwin

According to court documents, Summer was discovered at the dump inside a brand new suitcase. She had only been dead for a day and had been "severely abused." It was discovered she was 10 weeks pregnant.

Rodriguez made several mistakes trying to cover up Summer's murder. Primarily, he bought a suitcase only sold at Walmart, and was quickly found on surveillance footage purchasing it and latex gloves. Since only he and one other person had recently bought one, and he used his debit card, he was easy to track down.

He also left a bevy of evidence behind in the hotel room:

On September 15th, Lubbock detectives searched the room in which Rodriguez had stayed at the Holiday Inn. They found a dried pool of Baldwin's blood on the carpet next to the bed farthest from the door and blood spatter on the box springs and mattress. Walmart bags, a Prot©g© suitcase registration card, a condom wrapper, and two sets of latex rubber gloves were found in a trash container in the hallway down from the room. Rodriguez could not be excluded as the donor of the DNA on the latex gloves.

Rodriquez would later claim he had accidentally killed Summer after she had attacked him with a knife; however, the extreme extent of injuries on her body indicated she had been sexually assaulted and severely beaten, and strangled.

Did Joanna Get Justice?

Part of proving a capital murder case is establishing "future dangerousness." This likely could have been proven by the sheer brutality and callousness of Summer's murder (Rodriquez did eat a large meal, watch a movie, and nap in the hotel afterwards). However, the prosecution chose to show a history of violence instead- by introducing Joanna's story during the punishment phase of the trial. They were presented with facts about how Rodriguez had been in the same internet chat room with Joanna and had made phone calls to her the night she disappeared.

Rodriguez was never tried for Joanna's murder, even though he had confessed to get a plea deal for life in prison. You may be asking, "how did he get the death penalty then?" He decided to plead not guilty to Baldwin's murder, taking the plea deal off the table. This incredibly arrogant man tied his own noose.

Rodriguez was executed on March 27, 2018. Most people who get executed use their final words to apologize and ask for forgiveness. Rodriguez used his to claim Matt Powell, Lubbock's current DA, should be investigated and that Lubbock businesses should be boycotted until the death penalty is abolished.

Last I checked, Lubbock businesses are going strong, especially the Wal-Mart that led to his capture and sealed his fate. The "Suitcase Killer" would be the subject of many national articles and on television shows like "Forensic Files" and "Solved."