Shirley Iverson, who was raped by Rodriguez in 1974, said the overturned sentencing has brought back painful memories and felt that the culture of secrecy had allowed him to become a rapist. 4, 2003, in Northeast Central District Court in Grand Forks. Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., listens at his bail hearing Dec. It’s been 18 years since the abduction and murder of Dru Sjodin, and 14 years since Alfonso Rodriguez was sentenced to death for her kidnapping and killing, but a federal judge’s recent ruling overturned the death penalty for the case and a new sentencing trial could be held for Rodriguez. Investigators have said they matched spots of blood found in Rodriguez's car to Sjodin's DNA.CROOKSTON, Minn. In preliminary hearings since his arrest, prosecutors have indicated they have evidence - including surveillance tapes - placing Rodriguez at the mall around the same time they believe Sjodin vanished. Rodriguez's lawyer says he has denied any involvement in Sjodin's disappearance. Attorney, Drew Wrigley said over the weekend that it was too early todiscuss whether federal murder charges would be pursued. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger and North DakotaU.S. North Dakota and Minnesota do not have capital punishment but federal law allows the death penalty in kidnapping-murder cases. He has pleaded not guilty in Sjodin's kidnapping but could face murder charges.Īccording to reports, federal prosecutors could take over the case because Sjodin's body was found in Minnesota, which suggests her kidnapping and slaying involved the crossing of state lines. "But she'll be in my heart forever."įederal Charges - and the Death Penalty - Ahead?Īlfonso Rodriguez Jr., a 51-year-old convicted sex offender, was released from prison last May after serving a23-year sentence for an attempted kidnapping and assault of a womanin 1980. "I will miss Dru dearly," Lang continued. "You have to take something good out of this tragedy, and that is the human spirit can transcend all." "I believe it is a good world, and you find that out when you see all these wonderful people come together - the community at Grand Forks and all the way around the world," Lang said. ![]() ![]() Instead, he remains astounded and grateful to the thousands of volunteers who helped look for Sjodin. "I was there with her family and mine, and bittersweetly, it was - I couldn't have written a better way to find out the horrible news."ĭespite his girlfriend's slaying, Lang said he does not feel disillusioned by human nature. "It was actually probably the best way I could find out the news," he said. Though he was grief-stricken, Lang said he was happy to have been with loved ones at that time. Lang was with Sjodin's family, helping them hand out food to volunteer searchers, when they learned Dru's body had been found. Lang and Sjodin's family leaned on each other for support as weeks and months passed with investigators and searchers unable to find Dru. Lang told police he heard Sjodin say "Oh my God" - and then the line went dead. ![]() She had left the Victoria's Secret store where she worked and was talking to Lang on her cell phone. She was last seen walking in the parking lot of the Columbia Mall in Grand Forks. The beginning of the spring thaw enabled searchers to finally find Sjodin. ![]() Volunteers had previously searched the area several times but the snow-covered landscape had hidden Sjodin's remains. the hometown of Alfonso Rodriguez, who is accused of her kidnapping. Searchers found the University of North Dakota student's body Saturday in a ravine near Crookston, Minn. We had been out there for 5½ months and knowing what we may possibly find and unfortunately, that's what we wound up. "We wanted to find her alive as well, but unfortunately, we got the worst news. "Hope never left about finding Dru," Chris Lang told Good Morning America. Ap- The boyfriend of Dru Sjodin, the college student who went missing in November and whose body was found over the weekend, says he always held out hope that his girlfriend would be found alive - but he also braced himself for the worst news.
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