Murder of Dru Sjodin

Dru Katrina Sjodin (September 26, 1981 – November 22, 2003) was an American murder victim. She was kidnapped from the Columbia Mall parking lot in Grand Forks, North Dakota by Alfonso Rodriguez Jr on November 22, 2003.[1] Her kidnapping and murder caused the creation of the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Registry.

Murder

At 4:00 pm Saturday, November 22, 2003, Sjodin, a 22-year-old college student at the University of North Dakota, finished her job shift at the Victoria's Secret store at the Columbia Mall in Grand Forks.[2] Sjodin shopped for and bought a new purse from Marshall Field's. She then left the mall and began walking to her 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass.[3] During this time, Sjodin was speaking to her boyfriend, Chris Lang, on her cell phone. Ten minutes into the call, Lang reports Sjodin said "Okay, okay" before the call ended.[4]

Just over a week later, on December 1, 2003, 50-year-old registered sex offender Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. was arrested in connection with Sjodin's disappearance.[5] Sjodin's body was found on April 17, 2004, just west of Crookston, Minnesota when deep snow drifts began to melt.[6][7]

Crookston is also where Rodriguez had been living with his mother.[8] Sjodin's body was found partially nude and face down in a ravine.[9] Her hands were tied behind her back. She had been beaten, sexually assaulted and stabbed. She had several lacerations, including a five-and-a-half-inch cut near her neck. A rope was tied around her neck.

Thousands of people had helped search for the young woman. Hundreds went to her funeral.[10]

Trial

The trial of Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. was held in federal court because Sjodin was taken across state lines.[11] This meant he was eligible for the death penalty if he was found guilty. But neither North Dakota nor Minnesota have the death penalty.

On August 30, 2006, Rodriguez was found guilty of sexual assault, kidnapping and murder in Sjodin's death.[12] On September 22, 2006, Rodriguez was sentenced to death.[13]

References

  1. Judge Sentences Alfonso Rodriguez Jr to Death (Report). Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  2. "Searching for Dru". People Magazine. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  3. "Hundreds Expected to Search for Missing Student". CNN. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  4. Sheriff: No Chance We'll Find Dru Alive (Report). CNN. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  5. "Renewed Calls for Tough Sex Offender Laws". New York Times. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  6. "Found at Last". People Magazine. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  7. "10 Years after Murder, Sjodin's Mother and Others Remember". Grand Forks Herald. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  8. Prosecutors Oppose Moving Rodriguez Trial. Google. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  9. Sjodin Trial Opening Statements (Report). Bismarck Tribune. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  10. "Phone Calls May Provide Clues in Missing Student Case". ABC News. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  11. Judge Imposes Death in Killing (Report). New York Times. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  12. "Man Found Guilty in College Student's Slaying". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  13. "Jurors Sentence Rodriguez to Death in Sjodin Case". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved January 16, 2019.