Orange City, Iowa — The murder and arson trial of a Rock Valley man accused of stabbing his grandfather to death last October has been postponed again.
Court records indicate that Santos Rodriguez, Jr’s trial had been scheduled to begin on Tuesday, May 1st of this year, but has been continued until this fall.
According to authorities, on or about Sunday, October 29th, 2017, 19-year-old Santos Rodriguez, Jr. allegedly killed his grandfather, 84-year old Luis Luevanos, at his grandfather’s home; set fire to the home; and then fled to Utah.
Agents from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation traveled to Utah and interviewed Rodriguez. DCI agents say Rodriguez admitted to stabbing his grandfather and intentionally setting the fire afterward.
On December 11th Rodriguez filed a plea of “not guilty” in Sioux County District Court to the charges of First Degree Murder, which is a Class A Felony, as well as First Degree Arson, a Class B Felony.
Rodriguez trial is now scheduled for Tuesday, September 18th at 9:00 am in Sioux County District Court in Orange City. A Pretrial Conference in the case is scheduled for Wednesday, june 6th at 9:30 am.
If convicted on the 1st Degree Murder charge, Rodriguez would face a mandatory sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole. On the 1st Degree Arson charge, a conviction would carry a sentence of up to 25-years in the state penitentiary.
