HomeNewsDru Sjodin Death Case: Muderer Alfonso Rodriguez Jr Escaped Death Penalty

Dru Sjodin Death Case: Muderer Alfonso Rodriguez Jr Escaped Death Penalty

Dru Sjodin death case has turned the other way as murderer Alfonso Rodriguez Jr will not face the death penalty. Keep reading to find out more about the death case.

Dru Sjodin was an American woman who came into the limelight following her death on November 22, 2003. Alfonso Rodrigeuz Jr murdered her.

Besides, Sjodin went to Pequot Lakes High School and graduated in 2000. Following her graduation, she went to the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. 

Likewise, Dru was very artistic and loved playing different games, including basketball, volleyball and golf. Furthermore, Sjodin was looking forward to a much-anticipated trip to Australia planned for the spring of 2004.

Sadly, it couldn’t happen, as she died on the evening of November 22, 2003. Now, her death cause is making rounds on the internet as the murderer is not facing the death penalty.

Dru Sjodin Death Case Update In 2024

Dru Sjodin’s death case has dragged the eyes of many as it was recently announced that the murderer would not face the death penalty. 

On the evening of November 22, 2003, Dru vanished after leaving work. A Level 3 sex offender, Alfonso Rodriguez Jr, in Minnesota, was detained on December 1, 2003.

Dru Sjodin was a University of North Dakota student.
Dru Sjodin was a University of North Dakota student. (Source: Park Rapid Senterprise )

Rodriguez had been released from jail after a 23-year sentence only six months before Dru went missing. Five months after Rodriguez’s arrest, Sjodin’s body was located outside Crookston, Minnesota. 

So, the murderer was found guilty and was initially sentenced to death on September 22, 2006. The murder case dragged huge national attention leading to changes in sex offender registration laws. 

President George W. Bush inscribed the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, including Dru’s Law, on July 27, 2006. 

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Dru Sjodin Murderer Escaped Death Penalty

U.S. prosecutors revealed on Tuesday that Dru Sjodin’s murderer would not face the death penalty. U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider in North Dakota filed a notice with the court withdrawing his effort to seek the death penalty for Rodriguez Jr.

In an interview, Schneider opened up about the case and revealed that he also talked with Dru’s mother and other relatives. However, he denied talking about their reaction to the case update.

With that news, people sought further updates related to Rodriguez Jr. The only possible sentence for Rodriguez Jr now is life in prison without the possibility of parole, as revealed by Schneider. Schneider wasn’t sure when formal sentencing would take place.

fam
Dru Sjodin’s family with Drew H. Wrigley in the court. ( Source: NY Times )

Likewise, Schneider said the murderer would draw his last breath in federal prison. Moreover, it’s not the first time Rodriguez Jr has avoided the death penalty in the case.

In September 2021, previous-U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson ruled that misleading testimony from the coroner, the failure of lawyers to outline the chance of an insanity defense, and proof of severe post-traumatic stress disorder had violated Rodriguez Jr.’s constitutional rights.

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Where Is Alfonso Rodriguez Jr Now?

Alfonso Rodriguez Jr was found guilty of the abduction and murder of Dru Sjodin by a jury in 2007 and sentenced to death. He was on the death line, but now he will not face that penalty.

Alfonso Rodriguez Jr
Alfonso Rodriguez Jr is the murderer of Dru Sjodin. ( Source: Knox )

So, now, Rodriguez Jr will spend the rest of his life in prison. That is the obligatory minimum sentence under federal law for kidnapping and killing Dru. Furthermore, Rodriguez Jr is the only person on death row convicted in North Dakota.

Moreover, more details about his case will get updated in the future. 

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