Texas Murder Defendant Missing As Jury Returns Guilty Verdict

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(July 1, 2008)--Authorities in South Texas were searching Tuesday evening for a man who failed to show up in court while a jury was convicting him of murder.

A Hidalgo County prosecutor said Tuesday that 24-year Oscar Davila Rodriguez, of Mission, is considered a fugitive.

A jury convicted Rodriguez of murder on Tuesday, but he was not in court to hear the verdict read.

Prosecutor Michelle Puig said that until Tuesday, Rodriguez had shown up each day for court.

He had been free on bond since last year, when a judge threw out his first murder conviction because a witness testified about a polygraph test that was supposed to have been barred from evidence.

The trial was in Edinburg, which is about 15 miles from the Texas-Mexico border.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: sylvia Location: lorena on Jul 2, 2008 at 04:16 PM
Let's hope he runs into a Mr.Horn!!!!

Posted by: anonymous on Jul 2, 2008 at 02:18 PM
What were they thinking!? What did they expect? Did they actually think he would accept a guilty verdict like a good little boy? HOW STUPID!!!!

Posted by: Susie Location: Central Texas on Jul 2, 2008 at 11:39 AM
OH how comforting!! If they were gonna let him out on bail then he should have at least had an ankle band, the kind they use for house arrest! STUPID!

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 2, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Oh wow. This almost makes me want to laugh at the judicial system. Definitely I feel like the family of the victim is probably grieving over this, and my prayers go out to them. This is a rather "duh" kind of story. They sould have had him held in a jail cell until his punishment phase. Wow wow wow. :(

Posted by: HOW STUPID!! Location: BCS on Jul 2, 2008 at 09:06 AM
NOW THAT IS JUST FLAT OUT DUMB OK LETS LET A ACCUSED MURDER OUT ON BOND RIGHT NEXT TO THE TEXAS/MEXICO BORDER YEAH HE'LL COME TO HEAR HIS VERDICT.. HELL NO HE WON'T DUMB DUMB DUMB!!

Posted by: Citizen Location: Waco on Jul 2, 2008 at 07:57 AM
GREAT job...not! Now we someone covicted of murder walking the street b/c HE was to go back to the court house on HIS own free will to be convicted of murder, yeah right...this is terrible

Posted by: Dale Location: rdctex@hotmail.com on Jul 2, 2008 at 01:50 AM
Amendment 8 to the US Constitution states in part "Excessive bail shall not be required...". Since many of these criminals choose to run today instead of showing up to court and facing their punishment, I do not consider No Bail to be excessive. Judges need to start using no bail for these criminals so they don't have a chance to run or we need new Judges.

Posted by: Michelle Location: Central TX on Jul 1, 2008 at 10:02 PM
How lovely...why was he out of jail? Whether or not there were indiscretions, he still should have been in jail if murder was being considered. Way to go...another possible murderous fugitive. Let's hope he doesn't consider murder as another possible option.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 1, 2008 at 08:37 PM
Whatch'ya wanna bet he is in Mexico? Where a Mexican national has NEVER been extradited to the USA. Ho Hum.

Posted by: Jack Location: Waco on Jul 1, 2008 at 07:28 PM
Si, Senor, my new-old country is Mexico! Hasta LaVista, Baby!

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