Man strangles wife, calls pastor to confess
03:38 PM CST on Monday, January 19, 2009
Matthew Pleasant / Houma Courier
WWLTV.com
HOUMA – After strangling his wife during a Sunday morning argument while their young children slept nearby, a 47-year-old welder called his pastor to confess the slaying, according to police.
Rodolfo Ortega, 320 Coach Court, Houma, is charged with second-degree murder.
At 10 a.m., police arrived at Ortega’s trailer after receiving a call from Ortega’s pastor, said Houma Police Lt. Jude McElroy. Ortega is the member of a local Jehovah Witness congregation, police said.
Ortega and his wife, San Juana Isabel Ortega, 32, argued throughout the early morning without waking their four children, who were sleeping, McElroy said. The family lived in a trailer off Main Street near Holy Rosary Catholic Church.
Ortega told police he strangled his wife about 4 a.m. He called his pastor three hours later to confess, McElroy said.
“He wasn’t trying to hide anything at this point,” McElroy said.
Police arrived at the couple’s home about 10 a.m. and found the wife’s body in the bedroom, he said. The four children, ranging from ages 5 to 12, were put in custody of family.
A Spanish-speaking officer translated for Ortega, who told them about the murder and was calmly arrested, he said.
During questioning with investigators, Ortega said he worked as a welder for North American Shipyard for the past year and a half, he said. He also said he had been living in the country illegally for the past nine years.
Houma Police say this is the first murder of the year.
http://www.wwltv.com/topstories/stories/wwl011909tpstrangle.d6a7c0c.html
"Man strangles wife, calls pastor to confess"
by so 5 Replies latest jw friends
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so
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flipper
SO - Thanks for posting this. I guess this shows just how stressed these witnesses really are ? My god. What an idiot for choking the life out of his wife. Now 4 children have to face life knowing their father killed their mother whom he " allegedly " loved. Those are 4 children who will need much psychological therapy for many years. Hopefully the remaining relatives caring for the children are not witnesses so they will get needed help. How tragic
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Elsewhere
See! That's what evil atheists with NO MORRALS and no guidance from god do!!!
Oh wait... he was a Christian.
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daniel-p
Darn it! We HAVE to forgive him now!
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OUTLAW
"Rodolfo Ortega told police he strangled his wife about 4 a.m. He called his pastor three hours later to confess"..That would make it 7am when Ortega called a JW Elder.. "Police arrived at the couple’s home about 10 a.m. and found the wife’s body in the bedroom"..Thats 3hrs after Ortga called the Elder..The elder obviously did not call the police about the murder..And..Left 4 children with a nutcase that strangled thier mom......The elder was probably dealing with a Serious Case of Fornication in the Congregation! It`s a good thing Elders are Specialy Trained by the WBT$,to deal with Murderer`s and Pedophile`s!!.............................OUTLAW
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watson
I can't believe that an illegal resident was in good standing in the Christian Congregation!!