Juan David Rodriguez

Case identification

Juan David Rodriguez (DOB: 06/26/56) was tried in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Dade County, Florida. The case was listed as Case #88-18180B. A Florida Supreme Court opinion was issued under SC00-99 DC# 394141.

Timeline

• 05/13/88 — Sponsa and Fernandez met with Rodriguez to demand owed bond money, and Rodriguez led them to an auto parts store where he approached Abelardo Saladrigas, pulled a gun, demanded a briefcase and watch, shot Saladrigas four times, took the briefcase and watch, and ran to his car.
• 04/22/88 — Rodriguez went to a bondsman, met Ramon Fernandez and Carlos Sponsa, and received a car title given to the bondsman to pay Rodriguez’s bail.
• 05/03/89 — The case was indicted as follows: Count I First-Degree Murder; Count II Armed Robbery; Count III Conspiracy to Commit a Felony; Count IV Attempted Armed Robbery; Count V Armed Burglary with an Assault; Count VI Aggravated Assault with a Weapon; Count VII Attempted First-Degree Murder.
• 01/31/90 — Rodriguez was found guilty of all charges of the indictment; the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts.
• 03/01/90 — The jury recommended death by a vote of 12 to 0.
• 03/28/90 — Rodriguez was sentenced to death for the murder of Saladrigas and received additional sentences on the other counts.
• 05/11/90 — Rodriguez filed a direct appeal to the Florida Supreme Court.
• 10/08/92 — The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentence.
• 03/26/93 — Rodriguez filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court.
• 10/04/93 — The petition was denied.
• 09/12/94 — Rodriguez filed a 3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Court.
• 11/23/99 — The 3.850 Motion was denied.
• 01/14/00 — Rodriguez filed a 3.850 Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court.
• 05/26/05 — The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the denial of the 3.850 Motion.
• 12/31/01 — Rodriguez filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in the Florida Supreme Court.
• 05/26/05 — The petition was denied.
• 06/26/06 — Another 3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Court was denied.

The offence

Juan Rodriguez was convicted of the charges of the first-degree murder of Abelardo Saladrigas, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit a felony, attempted armed robbery, armed burglary with an assault, aggravated assault, and attempted first-degree murder. These convictions stemmed from incidents occurring on two consecutive days.

On 05/13/88, Sponsa and Fernandez met with Rodriguez to demand the owed bond money. Rodriguez told the two men he knew where to get the money and told them to follow him to an auto parts store. Rodriguez told Sponsa and Fernandez to wait in their car at the front of the store while he drove around back. At the back exit of the store, Rodriguez saw the store owner, Abelardo Saladrigas, and approached him. Rodriguez pulled a gun on Saladrigas and demanded his briefcase and watch. Saladrigas did not comply. Rodriguez shot him four times, took the briefcase and watch, and then ran back to his car and took off. Sponsa and Fernandez claimed to have fled after hearing the first gunshot. Rodriguez later gave half of the $1,200 found in the briefcase to Fernandez. Rodriguez kept the Rolex watch for himself.

Saladrigas had six wounds on his body. The medical examiner claimed they were consistent with four gun shot wounds. The record described wounds including two wounds in his right arm, one wound in the upper left chest, one wound one inch above the right knee, and two wounds to the right chest, one of which was fatal. Saladrigas was able to describe the events to a family member, police officer and store worker before he died.

The day following the murder, Rodriguez, along with Fernandez and other men, attempted to rob a household. The homeowner fired at the men three times. One of the robbers accompanying Rodriguez fired back once. Three weeks after the attempted household robbery, Fernandez was arrested. He confessed to his involvement in the auto parts store offense and the attempted robbery, and Fernandez told police that Rodriguez was the one who shot Saladrigas.

Investigation and evidence

Francisco Reyes testified that in county jail prior to Rodriguez’s trial, he offered Rodriguez $3,000 to kill Fernandez, stating that “if he was dead, the state would no longer have a witness for the case against him.”

Trial

Rodriguez was indicted as follows:

• Count I: First-Degree Murder
• Count II: Armed Robbery
• Count III: Conspiracy to Commit a Felony
• Count IV: Attempted Armed Robbery
• Count V: Armed Burglary with an Assault
• Count VI: Aggravated Assault with a Weapon
• Count VII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

On 01/31/90, Rodriguez was found guilty of all charges of the indictment, and the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts.

On 03/01/90, the jury recommended death by a vote of 12 to 0.

Rodriguez contended in later proceedings that the trial court required him to continue without the presence of a subpoenaed defense witness and excluded that witness’s testimony. He also contended that error occurred in conducting a joint trial for the charges, admitting his sister-in-law’s identification testimony, and introducing hearsay testimony.

Sentencing

On 03/28/90, Rodriguez was sentenced as follows:

• Count I: First-Degree Murder — Death
• Count II: Armed Robbery — Life
• Count III: Conspiracy to Commit a Felony — 15 Years
• Count IV: Attempted Armed Robbery — 15 Years
• Count V: Armed Burglary with an Assault — Life
• Count VI: Aggravated Assault with a Weapon — 5 Years
• Count VII: Attempted First-Degree Murder — Life

Appeals

Rodriguez filed a direct appeal to the Florida Supreme Court on 05/11/90. On 10/08/92, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentence.

Rodriguez filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court on 03/26/93; the petition was denied on 10/04/93.

Rodriguez filed a 3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Court on 09/12/94; it was denied on 11/23/99. On 01/14/00, Rodriguez filed a 3.850 Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court; on 05/26/05, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the denial of the 3.850 Motion.

On 12/31/01, Rodriguez filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in the Florida Supreme Court; it was denied on 05/26/05.

Rodriguez filed another 3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Court; it was denied on 6/26/06.

Codefendants

The following codefendants were involved and indicted for the murder and/or attempted home invasion:

• Ramon Fernandez: Fernandez was sentenced to five years for count 1, 3 and 4 and 17 years for counts 2 and 6. Each count was to run concurrently.
• Sergio Valdes: Sergio was sentenced to time served (15 months) for counts 1, 2 and 3 and probation with special conditions for his involvement.
• Angel Diaz: Diaz was indicted on counts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. For count 1 he was sentenced to 364 days in county jail; for counts 2, 3, 4 and 6 he was sentenced to Community Control and 3 years probation with special conditions.
• Jorge Luis Hernandez: Hernandez was sentenced to five years in prison for counts 2, 3, 5 and 6 with three years credit served. Counts 2, 3 and 6 were to run concurrent.
• Lazaro Roberto Hernandez: Lazaro was sentenced on counts 1, 2, 3 and 6 to one year Community Control with special conditions followed by 3 and a half years probation.

Other details

Rodriguez had a history of offenses in Dade County including possession / racketeering / sale and distribution of cocaine, carrying a concealed firearm, burglary and grand theft; Rodriguez received probation and/or about one month jail time.

Trial participants listed included:

• Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Thomas M. Carney
• Attorney, Trial: Scott Kalish - Private Attorney
• Direct Appeal: Geoffrey C. Fleck - Private Attorney
• Collateral Appeals: Rachel Day – CCRC-S
• Date of Offense: 05/13/88
• Date of Sentence: 03/28/90
• Circumstances of Offense: the auto parts store incident on 05/13/88 and an attempted household robbery the day following the murder.