CONSIDER THIS: Victimized by obsession and Rio Hondo’s inaction

By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com

Michael Rodriguez

Michael Rodriguez

All I needed was an excuse, someone to emerge from the shadows and into the light of my flashlight to attack me. I fantasized about this – I even prayed for it – so that I could defend my family. And if I needed to use deadly force…So be it.

There I was one hot summer night, walking around my block, not to mention searching our utility easement and other nooks and crannies, along with my brother-in-law with a flashlight in hand and covered in sweat and mosquitoes. My wife, mother, sister and niece had all received death threats via text messages that evening – in some cases even warning not to step outside lest they be shot and killed – from a deranged 17-year-old Rio Hondo High School student, a girl who has taken the term “fatal attraction” to a whole new level. This teenager was arrested on two counts of phone harassment for threatening via text to kill and to eat the organs of my niece, also a 17-year-old RHHS student. Then, to make matters worse, the suspect gained access, admittedly through school records, to my family’s cell phone numbers. Obviously, it didn’t take long for the rest of us to be subjected to similar threats.

Some days we received bomb threats from the suspect, prompting RHHS authorities in at least one case to release students early, and other times we witnessed the suspect traveling in different vehicles outside our home, following us while on the road and even parked from afar in a not-so-subtle attempt at being inconspicuous. She’s almost always accompanied by her boyfriend, who I believe has recently threatened to rape, kill and burn my niece. I guess I could have simply referred to him as a coward just now, especially since he has yet to threaten any of the men in my family.

So how did this all start? Well, it began as a simple high school dispute, or drama, if you will. You see, the suspect started bullying my niece during the summer of 2012 because she, my niece, was dating her would-be attacker’s ex-boyfriend. Case closed, right? Consider first that when my niece began receiving text messages from the suspect, some of which read that she’d cut my niece’s fingers off and “eat them like French fries,” she laughed and even mocked her tormentor. The only problem is that this was no ordinary high school drama but a legitimate cause for concern.

Pulling my niece’s emergency contacts to increase the scope of the suspect’s threats, sending in just three weeks’ time over 2,000 text messages, stalking us and even taking responsibility for breaking into our home were enough incidents to lend credence to an investigation, an arrest warrant and eventually the apprehension of the suspect responsible for these crimes.

What infuriates me is why the San Benito Police Department, the arresting agency in this case, was the first to take any action. Understand that this case was initially reported to Rio Hondo ISD officials, including school district police and high school faculty, in January 2013 yet little has been done since. Meanwhile, SBPD needed just two weeks to make an arrest.

What gives, Rio Hondo? All I’ve heard in response to our concerns have been excuses as to why RHISD authorities can take no action: 1.) You lack resources; 2.) The suspect couldn’t possibly be responsible because she’s in the high school band and therefore a “good kid;” 3.) There’s no proof.

I don’t know, perhaps I’m being too hard on these folks and should accept the fact that RHISD police officers are not equipped to conduct actual police work; that students who are in the high school band receive immunity from investigation and that phone records and a taped admission of guilt don’t necessarily qualify as proof.

Then again, maybe laziness is the real culprit. As I understand it, one of the phone numbers used by the suspect to send us threatening texts is also associated with past bomb threats, more notably dating back to a 2012 incident. That alone suffices the need for an internal investigation into Rio Hondo ISD police, high school staff and administrators regarding these matters and more. Their gross inaction has helped place my family in danger and God knows who else before us, not to mention leaving our personal information exposed to your students. I’m looking for answers, Rio Hondo. It’s in your best interest that you provide them sans resistance.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2013/06/14/consider-this-victimized-by-obsession-and-rio-hondos-inaction/

11 comments

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    • B villarreal on June 21, 2013 at 8:18 pm
    • Reply

    Well it is now real apparent of why this deranged lil girls fake accusations are getting so much attention.With family at SBnews and I’m pretty sure that she has family in the San Benito police dept. Praying for someone to attack you so you can take deadly force explains where your niece gets it from. So much for being a[Christian] family.I hope the F.B.I.does get involved and reveal this families trail of lies and bullcrap. As
    editor you are a disgrace to journalism and to the R.G.V.

    1. You’re certainly entitled to your opinion, B. But I would be remiss if I didn’t fill you in on a few facts. I’ll even number them, to borrow Mr. Lopez’ format.

      1.) Articles in the San Benito News pertaining to arrests and investigations warrant publishing due to information provided by law enforcement authorities that confirms said arrests and investigations. In this particular case, the suspect was contacted by a police detective and allegedly made an admission. Some of this information is easily accessible via the City of San Benito website. Follow the link: http://www.cityofsanbenito.com/docs/13/20/Harassment_6-7-13.pdf

      2.) If an arrest fits the criteria for publication, which in this case involves a teenager arrested for sending text messages threatening to rape and murder the victim as well as to eat the victim’s organs (and I’d say that qualifies as a news story), then it will indeed be printed not as a result of the editor’s relation to the victims but because it simply meets said criteria. This column you’re now commenting on was written from my personal experiences as one of the victims. Simply because I am a victim doesn’t mean I must be rendered silent.

      3.) Two stories the San Benito News has published regarding the suspect’s arrest hardly constitutes “so much attention.” If other news organizations have also covered this case, then it must mean the story fit their criteria for publication as well. That’s out of my control; again, that also doesn’t mean I can’t tell my story.

      4.) The victims are not related, at least that I’m aware of, to anyone employed at the San Benito Police Department.

      5.) What I actually prayed for was the opportunity to defend my family against those who threatened to kill us and who reinforced those threats by circling our block, honking and revving their engine when we stepped out the front door. I also spoke of using deadly force but only if necessary. Remember that, in the United States, deadly force is justified if an individual is in reasonable fear of death and cannot retreat. In other words, if I were attacked by people who on a daily basis threatened to kill me and my family, I may very well be within my rights to use deadly force if the circumstances called for as much. Check out Runyan v. State or the Castle Doctrine.

      6.) We are a Christian family.

      7.) Federal authorities are indeed involved and we have fully cooperated. We have nothing to hide.

      8.) If according to you I’m a disgrace to journalism and the Valley, then I’ll take that as perhaps the greatest compliment I’ve ever received.

      On a side note, observe that your last comment on this post was deleted. Everyone has the right to speak their minds here, B. However, please note that vulgarities will not be tolerated and any post containing as much will not be approved.

    • Daisy T. on June 21, 2013 at 3:04 pm
    • Reply

    Yes, a big question is how did this person get ahold of the victim’s personal contact information. I hope the family is going to see the new supt. soon. This is a BIG PROBLEM!
    I hope your niece is doing better now that this person has seen a judge.
    We continue to pray for her and your family.

    1. Thank you, Daisy.

    • nancy on June 21, 2013 at 12:25 pm
    • Reply

    Yes i did read the article and my question was in response to the first comment
    that was posted on here and how i choose to puncuate my sentences is not the
    issue at hand if i wanted a grammer lesson i would’ve requested one. I question how this child
    allegedly pulled school records to obtain your numbers shouldn’t then
    the school also be held accountable? Again whatever happened
    to innocent until proven guilty?

      • Jacob Lopez on June 21, 2013 at 10:54 pm
      • Reply

      *grammar. Fixed.

    • nancy on June 21, 2013 at 10:02 am
    • Reply

    Hmmm….I dont unserstand how this could get so much media attention when this
    child hasn’t even seen a judge. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty
    in a court of law? Makes one wonder….who the alleged victim is related to.

    1. The word “niece” is used eight times in this article in relation to the victim, so was your comment a rhetorical question or did you simply not read the piece? Also, the suspect has indeed seen a judge — Benjamin Yudesis to be exact.

      • Reform San Benito on June 21, 2013 at 11:21 am
      • Reply

      Nancy, I believe this editorial states clearly who the victimS are. No need to wonder; re-read this piece. If, after rereading, you still don’t understand, then I guess you never will.

    2. Here, Nancy. Let me hold your hand through this. I know it’s hard, but you have to read — okay? (BTW, an em dash signifies a pause — not an ellipsis. See what I did there?). Let’s do this together now! 🙂

      We will count, too. Don’t worry about that, yet. Baby steps:

      1) My wife, mother, sister *and niece* had all received death threats via text messages that evening – in some cases even warning not to step outside lest they be shot and killed…

      2) This teenager was arrested on two counts of phone harassment for threatening via text to kill and to eat the organs of *my niece*, also a 17-year-old RHHS student.

      3) She’s almost always accompanied by her boyfriend, who has recently threatened to rape, kill and burn *my niece.*

      4, 5,6, 7) You see, the suspect started bullying *my niece* during the summer of 2012 because she, *my niece*, was dating her would-be attacker’s ex-boyfriend. Case closed, right? Consider first that when *my niece* began receiving text messages from the suspect, some of which read that she’d cut *my niece*’s fingers off and “eat them like French fries,” she laughed and even mocked her tormentor. The only problem is that this was no ordinary high school drama but a legitimate cause for concern.

      8) Pulling *my niece*’s emergency contacts to increase the scope of the suspect’s threats, sending in just three weeks’ time over 2,000 text messages …

    • elena on June 18, 2013 at 9:20 pm
    • Reply

    why wouldn’t the Rio Hondo police department do something! a threat is a threat! who is this girl related to!! unbelieveable!

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