Facts of the Crime:
Manuel Rodriguez was convicted and sentenced to death for the murders of Bea Sabe Joseph, Sam Joseph and Genevieve Marie Abraham in 1984.
On December 4, 1984, Manuel Rodriguez and Luis Rodriguez, who are not related, went to the apartment of Bea Sabe Joseph and Sam Joseph to rob the couple. Manuel Rodriguez and Luiz Rodriguez forced their way into the Joseph’s apartment. They robbed the couple and a friend of the Josephs, Genevieve Marie Abraham, who was visiting the Joseph’s apartment. They killed all three people by shooting each victim in the head.
The police determined that Abraham’s wedding band, diamond watch and diamond bracelet were missing. Shortly after the murders, Manuel Rodriguez called police identifying himself as Antonio Chait and gave the police false information about the murders. The police were able to determine that Manuel Rodriguez made the phone calls himself, which made him a suspect in the murders. Later, Manuel Rodriguez contacted the police again and identified himself as Antonio Traves. He told the police that he had witnessed a man named Geraldo leaving the Josephs’ apartment on the night of the murders.
In 1992, Rafael Lopez, Luis Rodriguez’s brother-in-law, informed police that Luis Rodriguez admitted he robbed and killed the Josephs and Abraham with Manuel Rodriguez to obtain the reward offered for information about the case. Based on this information, the police spoke to Luis Rodriguez, who confessed, incriminating himself and Manuel Rodriguez for the armed burglary and murders. The police talked to Manuel Rodriguez, who claimed not to have been involved, but he eventually admitted to involvement in the armed burglary and murders. Manuel Rodriguez, however, claimed that he was asked to act as a lookout while Luis Rodriguez and his brother, Isidoro, committed the armed burglary and murders.
At the trial of Manuel Rodriguez, Luis Rodriquez testified that Manuel asked him to act as the lookout while Manuel Rodriguez committed the robbery and murders. Manuel Rodriguez claimed that on December 4, 1984, Manuel and Luis Rodriguez went to the Joseph’s apartment. Manuel knocked on the door and told Sam Joseph that Maria Malakoff, the girlfriend of Manuel and the sister of Luis, and her and Manuel’s children were being held hostage until the Josephs gave Manuel money. At this point, Manuel pushed his way into the apartment and Luis followed, closing the door behind him. Manuel put on a pair of rubber gloves and gave a pair to Luis. Sam Joseph offered to get money from the bedroom, but Luis went instead and found a firearm, which upset Manuel because he thought that Sam Joseph was trying to trick them so that he could get the gun. Manuel Rodriguez shot both Bea Joseph and Sam Joseph. Manuel ordered Luis to shoot Genevieve Marie Abraham. Luis Rodriguez shot Abraham, and then he quickly left the scene. In a sworn statement prior to Manuel Rodriguez’s trial, Maria Malakoff testified that Manuel told her that he killed Sam Joseph, Luis killed Abraham, and Manuel himself verified that all the victims were dead.
Rodriguez was sentenced to death in Miami-Dade County on October 24, 1996.
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