HPD chief promises crackdown on parolees after murder rampage
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A deadly crime spree allegedly committed by a man on parole in the Houston area is prompting members of law enforcement to consider changing how they respond to the first sign of problems with parolees.
Jose Gilberto Rodriguez is accused of killing three people and shooting and robbing a METROLift bus driver. He's also allegedly connected to a home invasion in northwest Harris County.
Rodriguez is now locked up in a maximum security prison.
Before his alleged crimes, he was out on parole but had cut off his ankle monitor on July 5. Officials admit it signaled a tampering notification, but they did not act on it until the monitor's battery died three days later.
Prison officials tell ABC13 Rodriguez had been a model parolee in the months leading up to last week's violence.
He had passed drug tests and regularly met with his parole officer. Because of that, the ankle monitor tampering notification did not signal any red flags to authorities.
However, because of what happened in the ensuing days and the trail of violence allegedly committed by Rodriguez, officials are now looking at handling parole violations differently.
"I have asked the sheriff and we are going to ask every law enforcement agency in Harris County to put together the biggest task force in, probably the only task force, in the state of Texas that will focus on one thing and one thing only, and that is going after parole absconders and violators," said HPD Chief Art Acevedo.
The chief says he wants parolees to understand they have two choices: follow the rules to the letter of the law, or they go back to jail within hours.
Rodriguez is charged with two counts of capital murder. He could be charged with more as soon as Wednesday.
He is expected in court on Thursday.
