Advanced DNA testing has finally identified the woman murdered by a group of men in Queens more than 30 years ago as the mother who disappeared shortly after celebrating her daughter's first birthday, prosecutors say. announced.
Judy Rodriguez was 30 years old when her family reported her missing on January 23, 1991, shortly after her daughter Stephanie's first birthday party.
A few months later, on August 25, 1991, the body of an unidentified woman was found hidden under a large wooden plank, her ankles bound with cords, on August 25, 1991, according to the Queens District. It was discovered that Law firm.
Thirty-three years later, detailed DNA analysis revealed that Rodriguez was in fact the victim of a gruesome murder.
“It's really heartwarming to have answers,” said Rodriguez's sister, Anna Salvadore. told NBC 4 New York..
According to prosecutors, an investigation revealed that between July 15 and August 15, four men approached Rodriguez and took her on a nightmarish drive, where two of them tied her up. It turned out that.
They chased her to a drop-off area and pushed her out of the car, where one of the thugs hit her in the head with a large metal flashlight, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors say the beating caused her death and that the violent quartet then drove away.
Crews returned to the scene about two weeks later and attempted to hide the body by covering the victim with a large wooden plank, the DA's office charged.
According to prosecutors, four men (two who were 20 years old at the time of the murder, the others 18 and 19) were arrested and charged in August and September of the same year.
One of them pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in September 1992 and was sentenced to 8 1/2 years to 25 years in prison.
He was paroled in 2009 and released in August 2016.
The other two men pleaded guilty in October 1992 to first-degree reckless endangerment and were sentenced to 2 1/2 to 7 years in prison, the prosecutor's office announced.
Both were released in 1996 and paroled in April 1998.
The final suspect pleaded guilty to hindering prosecution in February 1993 and was sentenced to 1.5 to 4.5 years in prison.
He was also paroled in 1996 and finally released the following July.
The investigation resumed in November 2023, when the Queens Prosecutor's Office Cold Case Unit and the New York City Police Department called in a private laboratory to obtain clues regarding the victim's identity.
And in April 2024, DNA Research Institute International used advanced DNA testing of the victims' skeletal remains to create a comprehensive family tree and upload it to a public database, the prosecutor's office said.
Detective Joseph Rodriguez of the New York City Police Department's Genealogy Investigation Unit used the results to create a family tree.
Salvadore told NBC that her daughter submitted a DNA sample to a database and allowed law enforcement to review it, ultimately opening the door to answers.
An NYPD genealogist called Salvatore and confirmed there was a “possible DNA match to the missing person,” she told the network.
“When I heard that message, I immediately got chills,” she said.
Detectives then asked Judy Rodriguez's daughter Stephanie to submit a sample for testing, the newspaper reported.
“I came back 100 percent on the anniversary of my mother's death,” she told NBC. “It felt like my mom was giving us answers. It was incredible.”
The family now plans to bury Judy near her parents and hold a proper memorial service.
“I'm honestly glad we were able to put her to rest. And we were able to find her,” Stephanie Rodriguez told the network. “It's bittersweet, but I'm so grateful to have answers. I'm so grateful and couldn't be more blessed.”
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz praised all agencies involved in finally bringing closure to the grieving family.
“Thirty years ago, four men were convicted of the gruesome murder of an unidentified woman,” Katz said in a statement. “While justice was served, the family has gone 33 long years without answers for their loved one.”
“Thanks to our partners at the NYPD and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, we were able to provide these important details. We hope this provides some comfort,” she added. “This case is a prime example of my Cold Case Unit’s determination to identify victims and solve some of the borough’s oldest and most difficult murder cases.”
Rep. Grace Meng, who won a $500,000 grant for the prosecutor's office to investigate cold cases, also praised the long-awaited break in the investigation.
“This latest case from 1991 highlights why this funding is so important and is an example of the types of cases this funding will be used to solve,” Meng said. spoke. “I am proud to work with District Attorney Katz to pursue justice for the victims of cold cases in Queens. And, never forgetting them and their loved ones, District Attorney Katz We will continue to cooperate with
