Eloise Elizarraraz

Eloise Elizarraraz was a 34-year-old mother of three who was embarking on a promising new chapter in her life. On January 7, 2017, she was excited to be driving to her first day at a new job as a dental assistant. A Hispanic woman described by her mother as "beautiful inside and out," Eloise was also a caregiver to three other children and was looking forward to a future with a new love in her life.

That future was stolen from her on a Saturday morning in Sylmar, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles. Around 8:30 a.m., as she drove her black BMW, another vehicle pursued her, ran her off the road, and the driver shot her. Her car came to rest on the sidewalk at the intersection of Harding Street and Tripoli Avenue, the driver's-side window shattered. A short time later, a registered nurse returning home from work noticed the car with its engine still running. The nurse, Brittney Irving, approached and found Eloise slumped over in her seat. With her brother's help, Irving pulled Eloise from the car and administered CPR, discovering a gunshot wound to her neck. Despite her efforts, paramedics pronounced Eloise dead at the scene.

Homicide detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley Bureau quickly identified a suspect: Eloise’s ex-boyfriend and the father of her youngest son, Jose Benjamin Rodriguez. The investigation revealed their relationship had been fraught with jealousy and violence. Detectives learned that Eloise had recently told Rodriguez she was in love with another man. Police believe this enraged him, leading him to travel from South Los Angeles to Sylmar, where he waited for several hours for her to leave a friend's house where she had spent the night. He then allegedly pursued her in a stolen vehicle and killed her.

Investigators described Rodriguez as a dangerous man with a long criminal history, a known gang member, and a history of domestic violence. After the murder, he vanished. The stolen vehicle he used was later found in Mexico, just south of the border, leading police to believe he had fled the country. In April 2017, the Los Angeles City Council approved a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction. Eloise’s family made public pleas for help. "All I’m asking is somebody please help the police to put this man away before he hurts someone else," her mother, Connie Elizarraraz, said at a press conference. "My grandchildren need some peace."

The reward offer generated numerous anonymous tips. One crucial tip indicated that Rodriguez was hiding in Mexico. LAPD detectives identified a gang associate of Rodriguez who lived in the coastal state of Colima and notified local police there. On May 24, 2017, authorities in Colima located and arrested Rodriguez. He was extradited back to the United States and, on May 27, was booked in Los Angeles on suspicion of murdering Eloise Elizarraraz.

In May 2019, Jose Benjamin Rodriguez pleaded no contest to one count of first-degree murder. By pleading no contest, he did not admit guilt but accepted the charge and its punishment. He also admitted to allegations of using a handgun and having a prior strike conviction. In July 2019, a judge sentenced Rodriguez to 50 years to life in state prison for the murder of Eloise Elizarraraz, bringing the legal chapter of the case to a close and securing justice for the devoted mother whose life was cut tragically short.