Murder Suspect Arrested for Death of Ex-Girlfriend NR17160aj

Sylmar: On January 7, 2017,
around 8:57 a.m., Mission Area Patrol officers responded to a radio
call of a “Possible Shooting Just Occurred” at Harding Street and
Tripoli Avenue, in the City of Sylmar.

Upon arrival, officers observed a black BMW on the sidewalk at the
intersection of Harding Street just west of Tripoli Avenue. A
female victim, suffering from a gunshot wound, was laying on the
ground next to the vehicle.

Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene and
determined her to be deceased.

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Operations-Valley Bureau (OVB)
Homicide detectives responded and conducted the investigation. The
preliminary investigation revealed the victim, later identified as
Eloise Elizarraraz, was a 34-year-old female Hispanic from Los
Angeles.

The investigation also revealed that Elizarraraz had a tumultuous
relationship with an ex-boyfriend, Jose Benjamin Rodriguez.
Detectives uncovered evidence that showed Rodriguez had sent
threatening messages to Elizarraraz and was trying to find her. He
eventually located her in the Sylmar area in the early morning
hours of January 7, 2017. While Elizarraraz was driving to work,
Rodriguez forced her car off the road. He then shot Elizarraraz
with an unknown caliber firearm.

On January 12, 2017, murder charges were filed against Rodriguez
and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Rodriguez fled the
area.

Over the course of the next four months, OVB Homicide detectives,
in conjunction with members of the FBI Fugitive Task Force,
continuously searched for Rodriguez without success.

On April 8,
2017, a press conference was conducted announcing a $50,000 reward,
sponsored by the Los Angeles City Council, for information leading
to the arrest and conviction of Jose Rodriguez. Over the next few
days, detectives received numerous telephone calls from anonymous
callers, one of which indicated Rodriguez had sought refuge in
Mexico.

Further in their investigation, detectives identified a gang member
associate of Rodriguez who resided in the Colima area of Mexico.
Mexican Immigration (INAMI) and the Operations & Intelligence
Unit from the Colima State Police were notified. On May 24, 2017,
Rodriguez was located and arrested. He was returned to Los Angeles
on May 27, 2017, and booked for the murder of Eloise
Elizarraraz.

The Los Angeles Police Department is extremely grateful to the
citizens of Los Angeles for their assistance in bringing a
dangerous suspect to justice. The outcome of this endeavor is an
affirmation on how much more effective law enforcement can be with
the assistance from the community it serves.