By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
Sgt. Jose Luis Rodriguez is escorted into the Schofield
Barracks courthouse for his court-martial.

---

Prosecutor says
soldier killed wife
in jealous fit

The lawyer for the Schofield
Barracks sergeant says the death
was an accident

By Gregg K. Kakesako
Star-Bulletin

In a jealous rage, a Schofield Barracks soldier choked his wife to death earlier this year and then tried to cover up the crime by staging a break-in at the couple's townhouse, a prosecutor said today.

Sgt. Jose (Joe) Rodriguez, 27, faces a maximum life sentence for the premeditated Jan. 3 killing of his wife, Angela, 22.

In his 40-minute opening statement, Capt. Jack Ohlweiler, Army prosecutor, charged that Rodriguez killed his wife of 3-1/2 years because she had been repeatedly unfaithful to him.

"He (Rodriguez) was tired of the lies, tired of the crap, tired of everything in between ... tired of his wife's cheating," said Ohlweiler, referring to statements Rodriguez reportedly made to his brother-in-law, Army Spec. Eddie Vargas.

Ohlweiler said that Rodriguez further told Vargas that, "He was going to show Angela who was in charge. ... 'If I have to beat her up, that's what I have to do. ... If something happens, my son will be taken care of.'"

Ohlweiler said Rodriguez made that statement after he saw his wife with another man at a Waikiki night club on Jan. 3.

Ohlweiler said Angela Rodriguez had a long history of having extra-marital affairs.

However, Capt. Justin Tade, Rodriguez's defense attorney, said the Army sergeant didn't intentionally kill his wife.

Tade said that medical evidence during the court-martial will show that Angela Rodriguez was accidentally killed during a fight in the couple's bedroom.

Tade said Rodriguez's behavior was bizarre, but that was because he had done something that was unintended.

"He (Rodriguez) was faced with the trauma that rifled through his body like a rock," Tade said.

Tade said Rodriguez tried to kill himself by hanging or by electrocution, but failed.

However, prosecutor Ohlweiler said Rodriguez spent two days after killing his wife making it look like his Schofield Barracks home had been broken in and ransacked.

There were blood splatters on the walls and several swastikas, one with Rodriguez's knife stuck into it, Ohlweiler said.

Rodriguez has told police and friends that he killed his wife.

Ohlweiler also said that two days ago, Rodriguez's mother-in-law visited him at the Ford Island Brig, and he told her that he killed his wife.

Rodriguez called the police on Jan. 5, shortly after midnight, from a pay phone in Pupukea, saying he and his wife had been abducted. Two hours later, Angela Rodriguez's nude body was found in the couple's car at Pupukea's Puu O Mahukea Heiau.

If convicted, Rodriguez faces a maximum life sentence. His court-martial panel consists of two officers and three enlisted soldiers. The court-martial is expected to last for a week.