Current:Home > Markets2 women killed by Elias Huizar were his ex-wife and 17-year-old he had baby with: Police -GrowthProspect
2 women killed by Elias Huizar were his ex-wife and 17-year-old he had baby with: Police
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Date:2025-04-17 21:57:39
Police have identified the two women allegedly killed by a former Washington police officer who set off an Amber Alert this week after fleeing with his 1-year-old son across state lines.
Elias Huizar, a former Yakima, Washington police officer, shot himself in the head at the end of the pursuit on I-5 in Oregon. The child, identified as 1-year-old Roman Santos, was found in the back seat unharmed and was taken safely into police custody.
In a press conference held Wednesday, the West Richland Police Department identified the two women who were killed as Amber Rodriguez, Huizar's ex-wife, who investigators believe he fatally shot outside of the elementary school where she taught before fleeing from officers, and Angelica Santos, his 17-year-old girlfriend and Roman's mother.
Huizar has been charged with Rodriguez's death. Police said Santos' death remains under investigation, pending an autopsy.
The motive, timeline of the deaths and the investigation into the case continues, West Richland Police Chief Thomas Grego said in a press conference.
Huizar, 39, met Santos when he was a school resource officer at her middle school, where he was accused of raping and impregnating her, police said.
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Court documents filed in Benton County Superior Court in Washington said Huizar appeared in court on Feb. 15 and entered a not guilty plea on charges he had allegedly sexually assaulted a teenager while she was sleeping in his home, according to NBC News. Another teenager had reportedly witnessed the incident, according to NBC.
Huizar was released after posting a $200,000 bond, according to reporting in the Tri-City Herald. The article, citing court documents, said police started investigating the incident after Huizar's "17-year-old girlfriend, their 9-month-old son and her teenage friend" approached Benton County Sheriff's Office deputies on Feb. 3.
No-contact orders were issued for the victims in the case and Huizer was ordered not to go within 1,000 feet of their schools, homes or workplaces, a ruling that could have prevented Huizar from seeing his own child, according to the report, which cited statements made by a prosecuting attorney during a February court hearing.
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