Gerardor Villarreal Rodriguez, a 45 year old illegal alien, pled guilty today to the stabbing death of his common law wife, Yadira Rodriguez. The victim was the mother of two children, ages 3 and 5, which she shared with Rodriguez. The homicide occurred at 1712 Burnham Street in West Columbia, when Rodriguez broke into the home where the victim was living.  The victim fled the home and was fatally stabbed outside the residence. 

Rodriguez was sentenced to 30 years for the crime of murder.  Under South Carolina law, Rodriguez is not eligible for parole. The homicide occurred in 2010, however, Rodriguez fled the state following the murder and was not apprehended by law enforcement until 2015. 

The case was prosecuted by Eleventh Circuit Assistant Solicitor Robby McNair. McNair stated, “The family of Yadira Rodriguez has been waiting many long years for justice. No child should have to endure watching their mother be stabbed to death by their father. We are grateful to the law enforcement officers who apprehended Rodriguez and helped to bring closure to this family.”   

Investigators from the West Columbia Police Department responded to the residence around 4:16 pm on April 26, 2010 after receiving a 911 call.  Investigators found Yadira Rodriguez deceased in the driveway. Gerardor Rodriguez fled the scene, abandoning his vehicle at a nearby Walgreens, and was a fugitive from justice until he was apprehended in November of 2015 after a traffic stop in Georgia where he provided a false name and identification.

The victim and Rodriguez had separated a couple of weeks before the murder. A witness reported that Rodriguez made a call to the victim a few days before the homicide and threatened to kill her. The investigation determined that Rodriguez continued his attempts to reach the victim in the subsequent days.

At around 2 p.m. on Monday, April 26, Rodriguez called from a different number and again attempted contact with the victim and other family members. Shortly afterward, Rodriguez showed up at the residence in his Dodge Truck and then knocked on the door.  When no one answered, Rodriguez broke out a window with a gun and came into the house. 

Once inside, Rodriguez assaulted the victim. Other persons present at the scene intervened and were able to take the gun away from Rodriguez. At that point, the victim ran outside and Rodriguez grabbed a knife from the kitchen and followed her. Numerous witnesses reported that Rodriguez then fatally stabbed the victim. 

Law enforcement investigators were able to obtain a fingerprint belonging to Gerardor Rodriguez from the blade of the knife. The knife was found at the crime scene next to the victim’s body.   

Gerardor Rodriguez is an illegal immigrant from Mexico who was previously convicted of Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature and Simple Assault and Battery in 2005 in Richland County.  He was also previously convicted of Malicious Injury to Property and Trespassing in 2007 in Richland County.  Following those convictions, records indicate that Gerardor Rodriguez was deported but made his way back into the country sometime prior to the murder.