A 19-year-old Milwaukee teen, Javier Rodriguez, will spend a decade in prison following the 2024 shooting death of his 10-year-old cousin, Isdennyeliz Ortiz. Rodriguez unintentionally killed his cousin after a gun went off.
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As reported by Law & Crime, Javier Rodriguez was sentenced by a Milwaukee County judge to 10 years in prison. He will receive a 14-month credit for spending that time in pretrial detention. Following his prison sentence, Rodriguez will spend eight years on supervised release.
Previously, the 19-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree reckless homicide for killing his 10-year-old cousin back in May 2024.
Fatal Shooting
According to a criminal complaint obtained by TMJ4, the incident occurred at around 1 a.m. on Friday, May 31, 2024. Police officers responded to a W. Orchard Street residence after receiving a shooting report.
Upon arrival, officers found 10-year-old Isdennyeliz in her mother’s bed. She was not breathing and was unconscious. Both police officers and emergency personnel attempted life-saving measures to no avail. Isdennyeliz was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy was performed and found that Isdennyeliz had suffered a single gunshot wound to the chest. The bullet had hit her right lung and heart, lodging in her back.
A detective traced the bullet’s path and determined that a gun had been fired in the upper unit’s living room. The bullet passed through a couch cushion, the floor beneath the couch, and the lower floor ceiling, finally hitting Isdennyeliz’s chest.
Inside a closet, police found a satchel with three 9mm semi-automatic pistols and loaded magazines.
I’m Sorry. Please Forgive Me’
Video footage obtained by authorities shows Rodriguez arriving at the house alongside his father and a third individual at around 12:38 a.m. Rodriguez is shown carrying what looks to be a firearm. 44 seconds into the clip, a “loud bang” is heard.
At around 12:45 a.m., Rodriguez is showing “frantically running back and forth through the rear area.” Shirtless, the then-18-year-old tells something to his grandfather, and then the video stops.
The criminal complaint compiled the accounts of Isdennyeliz’s sister, mother, and Rodriguez’s grandmother. The accounts revealed that Rodriguez, following the shooting, admitted to it, saying, “I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I did it,” and “I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”
According to the grandmother, Rodriguez had been playing with a gun that then discharged, fatally striking Isdennyeliz.
At the time, Javier Rodriguez left the home before police arrived, as per Fox 6. Days later, however, he was arrested and charged with his cousin’s death.