The second body found at the house of former Washington state school resource officer Elias Huizar was that of his 17-year-old girlfriend and the mother of his 1-year-old baby, whom he was accused of kidnapping, the West Richland Police Department announced at a news conference Wednesday.
Huizar died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Tuesday after leading Oregon police on a vehicle chase.
His girlfriend, Angelica Santos, was also a victim of third-degree child rape, according to police chief Thomas Grego. Santos’ cause of death is unknown pending an autopsy, officials said Wednesday.
The motivation for Santos’ homicide is unknown, according to Benton County Prosecutor Eric Eisinger. He did, however, disclose that Santos had sought a protective order against Huizar. According to jail records, Huizar was also charged with second-degree rape in February. This charge is distinct from the third-degree rape charge against Santos, Eisinger explained.
The Tri-City Herald reports that he was released after posting a $200,000 bond. On Wednesday, Eisinger did not identify the victim of the second-degree rape or reveal their age.
California Man on Parole Arrested for Allegedly Killing Walmart Clerk in Random Stabbing
At the time of the arrest, the city of Yakima stated that Huizar had worked there until February 2022, but did not specify why he left. According to Facebook posts from the Yakima Police Department, he started as a school resource officer in 2018 after joining in December 2014.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Yakima Police stated that Huizar left the department in 2021 “after receiving discipline.”
Huizar is also accused of fatally shooting his ex-wife, Amber Rodriguez, outside William Wiley Elementary School in West Richland on Monday.
The superintendent of the Oregon state troopers has been placed on leave.
The Oregon State Police chief and two other officers engaged in Huizar’s pursuit on Tuesday have been placed on leave, according to Capt. Kyle Kennedy.
Kennedy says it’s uncertain how long Oregon State Police Superintendent Casey Codding will be on leave. “The timeline will be determined by the investigative process.
According to Kennedy, it “is standard procedure” to place troopers on paid administrative leave following an officer-involved shooting.
Burned Body Parts in Yonkers Shopping Cart Led NYPD to NYC Apartment With Additional Human Remains
“There is a unique circumstance with the superintendent,” he told me.
“In Oregon, the deputy superintendent has the authority of the superintendent when the superintendent is not accessible. “There is a smooth transition here, and we look forward to his return,” Kennedy stated.
Around 2:40 p.m. local time, Oregon State Police troopers began pursuing Huizar after they noticed him driving a car on Interstate 5 near Eugene, Oregon, according to Kennedy.
“After a small collision (on the highway), the suspect car lost control. Kennedy reported an exchange of gunfire before the suspect vehicle fled on the freeway. He stated that no one had been hurt as a result of the firing.
Huizar’s vehicle finally collided with another vehicle, skidded into a median, and became immovable, according to Kennedy.
“As troopers contacted the suspect vehicle, the suspect died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Kennedy informed the audience.
Roman Santos, a one-year-old boy for whom Washington state authorities had previously issued an Amber Alert because they believed Huizar had taken him, was unharmed in the vehicle, according to Kennedy. Officers securely removed him and turned him over to Oregon authorities, according to CNN.