Orange City, Iowa — A Rock Valley man who, according to authorities, admitted to stabbing his grandfather and setting his home on fire — has now pleaded “not guilty.”
According to authorities, on or about Sunday, October 29th, 19-year-old Santos Rodriguez, Jr. allegedly killed his grandfather, 84-year old Luis Luevanos; set fire to his grandfather’s home; and then left for Utah.
Agents from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation traveled to Utah and interviewed Rodriguez. Officials say he admitted to stabbing his grandfather and intentionally setting the fire afterward.
But on Monday, December 11th, Rodriguez filed a plea of “not guilty” to the charges of First Degree Murder (a class A felony) and First Degree Arson (a class B Felony) in Sioux County District Court.
No further court dates have yet been scheduled.
If convicted of a class A felony, Iowa code states that Rodriguez would face a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. If convicted of a class B felony, he could face up to 25 years in prison.
