BENTON COUNTY, Wash. – A recent autopsy conducted by the Benton County Coroner’s Office has shed light on the tragic deaths of 17-year-old Angelica Santos and 31-year-old Amber Rodriguez, both victims of Elias Huizar.
Angelica Santos, a young mother, was found dead in Huizar’s home, with the autopsy revealing that she succumbed to multiple stab wounds. Tragically, Santos’s one-year-old son, Roman Santos, was abducted by Huizar following the murders.
Amber Rodriguez, a paraeducator at William Wiley Elementary School and Huizar’s ex-wife, was fatally shot in front of the school. The autopsy confirmed that Rodriguez’s cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds. Both Santos and Rodriguez’s time of death remains undetermined.
Huizar’s violent actions were not isolated incidents. Prior to the murders, he was facing charges for rape and was scheduled to appear in court. Following a national manhunt, Huizar was located on I-5 near Eugene, Oregon, where he ultimately took his own life.
The tragic ordeal came to a conclusion when Roman was safely retrieved and reunited with his family. The community continues to mourn the loss of Santos and Rodriguez, two lives taken too soon in a senseless act of violence.
As authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the murders, the community remains in shock and disbelief over the devastating events that unfolded in their quiet town. The impacts of this tragedy will be felt for years to come, as loved ones and community members try to make sense of the senseless violence that claimed the lives of Santos and Rodriguez.