Puerto Rican ex-boxer Félix Verdejo sentenced to life in prison in the killing of his pregnant lover

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Former Puerto Rican boxer Félix Verdejo won two life sentences on Friday after he used to be discovered to blame in the grisly killing of his 27-year-old pregnant lover.

A federal pass judgement on sentenced Verdejo following emotional speeches by means of the circle of relatives of Keishla Rodríguez, who used to be killed in April 2021.

Verdejo have been discovered to blame in July of kidnapping that leads to a dying and of inflicting the dying of an unborn kid. His legal professional mentioned Friday that he plans to attraction the sentencing.

Many throughout Puerto Rico celebrated the consequence of the case.

“This sentence should serve as a lesson for others,” Puerto Rico Police Commissioner Antonio López mentioned. “It doesn’t matter how much fame, money or power you think you have. If you break the law, you will have to respond.”

During the trial previous this yr, Luis Antonio Cádiz, a pal of Verdejo’s additionally charged in the case, mentioned the former boxer had burdened Rodríguez to get an abortion. He additionally testified that the day Verdejo killed Rodríguez, the ex-boxer punched her and injected her with a poisonous substance sooner than they tied her limbs to a cement block and threw her off a hectic bridge and right into a lagoon in large sunlight.

Cádiz later referred to as 911 anonymously and supplied the location of Rodríguez’s frame.

An post-mortem discovered that Rodríguez had fentanyl and xylazine, a sedative used for animals together with horses, in her machine.

The case shocked the U.S. territory, the place many have demanded higher coverage for home violence sufferers.

Verdejo had participated in the 2012 Olympics and was a certified boxer that yr. He completed his occupation in the light-weight department with a 27-2 file, with 17 knockouts.