Amber Rodriguez, a 31-year-old mother of two, was fatally shot outside the elementary school where she worked in West Richland, Washington. She had filed for divorce from Elias Huizar, her ex-husband, in December 2020 and had recently been granted an order of protection against him. Rodriguez had expressed safety concerns during the divorce proceedings and had sought an order of protection, which was initially denied but later granted. Despite these protections, Rodriguez was still fearful of Huizar and had taken a job at the elementary school to keep an eye on her son. She was killed in front of her 9-year-old son as classes were being let out.
On the same day as Rodriguez’s murder, police found the body of 17-year-old Angelica Santos, who was described as Huizar’s girlfriend. Huizar, a former police officer from Yakima, had been accused of third-degree rape of a child and second-degree rape. Authorities said that Santos, who was the mother of Huizar’s 1-year-old son, was found dead at a residence in West Richland. After kidnapping his son, Huizar led law enforcement on a pursuit that ended with him taking his own life. Santos’s cause of death remains under investigation, and it is unclear how she died at this time.
Santos’s mother, Tiffany Penaloza, revealed that Huizar had met Angelica when he was a resource officer at her middle school. The relationship began when Angelica was a freshman and continued until after the birth of their child. Penaloza described Huizar as controlling and manipulative, stating that he had isolated Angelica from her family and was monitoring her conversations closely. Angelica had tried to distance herself from Huizar, but struggled with the idea of breaking up the family she had envisioned for her son.
Huizar had worked as a police officer from 2013 until his resignation in February 2022. After leaving the police department, he began working as a substitute teacher in the Richland School District. Despite lying on his application about past misconduct allegations, Huizar was hired based on references from his previous employer. The district expressed regret that they were not made aware of Huizar’s past and stated that they were disheartened by the lack of disclosure. Huizar’s actions have left two families devastated and reeling from the tragedy, as they struggle to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones.
Amber Rodriguez’s family has been left devastated by her death and the failure of systems to protect her. Despite seeking legal protections and taking steps to ensure her safety, Rodriguez was still unable to escape the threat of violence from her ex-husband. The tragic consequences of domestic violence have left a community mourning the loss of a dedicated paraeducator and a young mother. The need for increased awareness and resources to support victims of abuse is highlighted by this senseless tragedy, as families grapple with the aftermath of these horrific events.
