An Oklahoma man will spend 60 years in prison for the death of his girlfriend. The crime happened in Amarillo, Texas, outside a Texas Roadhouse restaurant.
Mario Alberto Rodriquez, 33, admitted in court that he murdered 23-year-old Marisela Mendoza in October. The judge gave him the 60-year sentence the same day.
On April 30, 2022, Rodriquez and Mendoza were arguing in the restaurant’s parking lot. Police reports say Rodriquez pulled out a gun and shot her. She was rushed to the hospital but didn’t make it.
A woman named Cathlina King was eating inside the restaurant with her kids when the shooting happened. She said it was scary because a bullet could have easily come through the window.
After the shooting, Rodriquez drove off with two young girls in a gray car. An alert was sent out to find him, and he was caught near Hereford, Texas. The children were safe.
Court records also show that Rodriquez had been charged with child neglect and domestic abuse in Oklahoma in 2021. However, these charges were later dropped.
By pleading guilty, Rodriquez avoided going to trial for the murder, which was scheduled for 2026.
