Forensic Files (1996–2011): Season 14, Episode 17 - Seeing Red - full transcript

>> Narrator: UP NEXT...

A TEENAGE GIRL VANISHES FROM HER
BEDROOM.

>> ALL THEY HAD WAS EVIDENCE
THAT SHE WAS GONE.

>> Narrator: INVESTIGATORS HOPED
HER COMPUTER WOULD HOLD A CLUE.

>> YOU CAN CREATE WHATEVER KIND
OF PERSONA YOU WANT WHEN YOU'RE

ONLINE.

>> Narrator: FOR ALMOST TWO
YEARS, HER CASE WENT UNSOLVED

UNTIL ANOTHER GIRL FROM THE SAME
TOWN ALSO WENT MISSING.

>> ALL WE HAD WAS A SUITCASE, A
BODY, AND A TATTOO ON AN ANKLE.

>> Narrator: POLICE SUSPECTED A
SERIAL KILLER WAS ON THE LOOSE,

ONE WHO HAD A PENCHANT FOR
REDHEADS.



>> THE END RESULT WASN'T SEX --
IT WAS POWER, AND IT WAS MURDER.

>> Narrator: ON A TYPICALLY HOT
DAY IN LUBBOCK, TEXAS, A WORKER

AT A LANDFILL NOTICED SOMETHING
OUT OF PLACE, EVEN FOR A TRASH

HEAP.

>> THE GUY THAT WAS STANDING OUT
THERE SAW THE SUITCASE BEING

DUMPED, AND IT APPEARED THAT
SOMETHING WAS IN IT.

>> Narrator: CURIOUS, THE
WORKER OPENED IT AND LOOKED

INSIDE.

>> HE HAD THOUGHT THAT CONTAINED
A MANNEQUIN AT FIRST.

HE QUICKLY DETERMINED THAT IT
WAS A YOUNG LADY THAT HAD BEEN

PUT IN THAT SUITCASE.

>> HER BODY HAD BEEN FOLDED INTO
A FETAL POSITION -- MANY, MANY

BRUISES AND INJURIES.

>> Narrator: THE VICTIM WAS A
YOUNG WOMAN, NUDE, WITH RED



HAIR.

SHE HAD NO IDENTIFICATION,
EXCEPT FOR A SMALL TATTOO THAT

SAID "SUMMER".

>> ALL WE HAD WAS A SUITCASE, A
BODY, AND A TATTOO ON AN ANKLE.

>> Narrator: THE MEDICAL
EXAMINER SAID THE VICTIM HAD

BEEN DEAD LESS THAN 24 HOURS.

THE EVIDENCE SHOWED SHE'D BEEN
SEVERELY BEATEN AND WAS STILL

BREATHING WHEN PLACED IN THE
SUITCASE.

THE OFFICIAL CAUSE OF DEATH WAS
ASPHYXIATION.

>> THAT'S A PRETTY HORRIFIC WAY
TO DIE, BEING IN THAT SUITCASE

AND STILL BEING ALIVE.

>> Narrator: SHE WAS ALSO TWO
AND A HALF MONTHS PREGNANT.

>> THE COMMUNITY WAS IN SHOCK.

YOU START QUESTIONING, "WHO IS
THIS MONSTER WHO'S DOING THIS?

WHO WOULD HAVE DONE THIS TO
SOMEONE?"

>> Narrator: FINGERPRINTS
REVEALED THE WOMAN WAS

29-YEAR-OLD
SUMMER LEE BALDWIN -- A SINGLE

MOTHER OF FOUR CHILDREN, WHO HAD
A PREVIOUS ARREST FOR

PROSTITUTION.

>> SHE WAS A YOUNG LADY THAT WAS
STRUGGLING, LIKE MANY OF THOSE

YOUNG LADIES DO.

THEY'RE JUST STRUGGLING TO MAKE
IT FROM DAY TO DAY, CAUGHT UP IN

A WORLD THAT SOMETIMES IS VERY
IMPOSSIBLE TO GET OUT OF.

>> Narrator: FINDING SUMMER'S
KILLER WOULDN'T BE EASY.

HER PROFESSION MEANT DEALING
WITH LOTS OF UNSAVORY PEOPLE,

AND ANY CLUES LEFT IN THE
LANDFILL WOULD BE DIFFICULT, IF

NOT IMPOSSIBLE, TO FIND.

>> THERE'S TRASH EVERYWHERE.

IT WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE TO GO
AND TRY TO OBTAIN EVIDENCE IN

THAT AREA, 'CAUSE THERE'S JUST
SO MUCH STUFF.

>> Narrator: INVESTIGATORS FOUND
NO FINGERPRINTS ON THE SUITCASE,

BUT IT WAS A PROTEGE BRAND WITH
THE LABEL AND BARCODE STILL

ATTACHED, SO INVESTIGATORS
STARTED THERE.

>> I WAS GIVEN THE TASK OF
FINDING OUT ALL THAT I COULD

ABOUT THE SUITCASE.

>> Narrator: THE MANUFACTURER
TOLD POLICE THIS MAKE AND MODEL

WAS SOLD ONLY IN WALMART STORES.

>> I GO TO WALMART.

I FOUND THE SUITCASE -- SAME
SUITCASE, SAME UPC NUMBER IN IT.

AN EMPLOYEE THERE TOLD ME THAT
THEY WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO

TRACK ANY PURCHASES MADE ON THAT
UPC NUMBER WITH THEIR SYSTEM.

WALMART HAD A PRETTY
SOPHISTICATED TRACKING SYSTEM OF

THEIR ITEMS THAT WERE SOLD.

>> Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
LEARNED AN IDENTICAL SUITCASE

WAS SOLD ON THE DAY SUMMER WAS
MURDERED -- AT 3:00 IN THE

MORNING.

THE SAME CUSTOMER ALSO BOUGHT
SOMETHING ELSE.

>> IT'S NOT COMMON TO GO
SHOPPING AT 3:30 IN THE MORNING

FOR SUITCASES, AND WHEN YOU
COUPLE THAT WITH THE FACT THAT

HE'S PURCHASING LATEX GLOVES AT
THE TIME, IT SENT UP MANY RED

FLAGS.

>> Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
CHECKED THE STORE'S SURVEILLANCE

CAMERAS TO GET A LOOK AT THE
SUSPECT.

>> THE PERSON IN THE VIDEO
APPEARED TO BE A HISPANIC MALE

OR A DARKER-COMPLECTED WHITE
MALE.

HE WAS APPROXIMATELY SIX-FOOT
TALL, STOCKY, AND APPEARED TO BE

EARLY 20's.

>> Narrator: ALL INVESTIGATORS
NEEDED NOW WAS TO FIND HIM.

>> Narrator: INVESTIGATORS WERE
LOOKING FOR THE MAN WHO MURDERED

29-YEAR-OLD SUMMER LEE BALDWIN
AND PLACED HER BODY IN A

SUITCASE.

SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS IN A NEARBY
WALMART STORE SHOWED A MAN

BUYING AN IDENTICAL SUITCASE
JUST HOURS BEFORE HER BODY WAS

DISCOVERED IN A LANDFILL.

SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS ALSO
IDENTIFIED THE VEHICLE THE MAN

WAS DRIVING.

>> THERE WAS A PICK-UP.

THE PICK-UP APPEARED TO BE A RED
COLOR.

>> Narrator: THE MAN BOUGHT THE
SUITCASE WITH A CREDIT CARD.

>> WE DISCOVERED THE NAME OF
ROSENDO RODRIGUEZ AS THE MAN WHO

HAD USED THIS CREDIT CARD.

>> Narrator: AND RECORDS SHOWED
THAT SAME CARD WAS USED JUST

MINUTES LATER TO BUY GASOLINE.

INVESTIGATORS NOTICED THERE WAS
A HOTEL ACROSS THE STREET FROM

THE GAS STATION.

>> A FEMALE THERE THAT WORKS AT
THE FRONT DESK RECOGNIZED

ROSENDO FROM A DRIVER'S LICENSE
PHOTO.

SHE SAID HE REGISTERED UNDER
THOMAS RODRIGUEZ.

>> Narrator: THE HOTEL-ROOM KEY
PROVIDED INVESTIGATORS WITH SOME

IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

>> IT DOESN'T SHOW WHEN YOU
LEAVE YOUR HOTEL, BUT EVERY TIME

SOMEONE ENTERS AND USES ONE OF
THOSE CARD KEYS TO ENTER INTO A

HOTEL ROOM, A RECORD IS KEPT OF
THAT.

>> Narrator: THE HOTEL KEY
REVEALED RODRIGUEZ ENTERED HIS

HOTEL ROOM AT 3:46 A.M., LESS
THAN AN HOUR AFTER BUYING THE

SUITCASE.

>> WE WERE ABLE TO FIND WHAT
APPEARED TO BE BLOOD ON THE

CARPET, ON THE BOX SPRING, AND
ON THE BED SHEET.

>> OUTSIDE THE ROOM, IN A
HALLWAY, WAS A TRASH CAN, AND

INSIDE THAT TRASH CAN WAS A
HOLIDAY INN BAG.

INSIDE IT WAS A WALMART BAG.

INSIDE THE WALMART BAG WAS A SET
OF LATEX GLOVES.

>> Narrator: BUT WHERE WAS
RODRIGUEZ?

A CHECK OF HIS CELLPHONE RECORDS
GAVE POLICE THE ANSWER.

>> WITHIN HOURS AFTER HE HAD
DISPOSED OF THE BODY, HE'S ON A

BUS, AND DURING THIS TRIP, HE
TAKES A PICTURE OF HIMSELF IN

THE GREEN AND WHITE SHIRT THAT
HE HAD WORN, SMILING AT THE

CAMERA AS IF NOTHING HAD
HAPPENED AND SENDING IT TO ONE

OF HIS GIRLFRIENDS SAYING, "I'M
ON MY WAY BACK TO SAN ANTONIO."

>> Narrator: IN SAN ANTONIO,
POLICE PROCEEDED TO RODRIGUEZ'S

PARENTS' HOME...

WHICH WAS WHERE THEY FOUND HIM
ON HIS COMPUTER.

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]
WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT

SUMMER BALDWIN'S MURDER, HE
DENIED ANY INVOLVEMENT, BUT THE

FORENSIC EVIDENCE FOUND ON THE
LATEX GLOVES IN THE HOTEL TRASH

LEFT NO DOUBT.

>> THOSE LATEX GLOVES WERE
PROCESSED FOR DNA EVIDENCE, BOTH

SIDES.

>> Narrator: ON THE OUTSIDE WAS
SUMMER BALDWIN'S DNA.

ON THE INSIDE WAS
SUMMER BALDWIN'S DNA AGAIN, THIS

TIME MIXED WITH RODRIGUEZ'S DNA.

AND RODRIGUEZ'S DNA ALSO MATCHED
DNA FROM SUMMER'S RAPE KIT.

TO INVESTIGATORS, IT WAS AN
OPEN-AND-SHUT CASE.

BUT TO BE THOROUGH,
INVESTIGATORS SEARCHED

RODRIGUEZ'S COMPUTER.

IT SEEMED LIKE A FORMALITY, BUT
THIS TIME, IT WAS MORE THAN

THAT.

>> IT WAS APPARENT, LOOKING AT
ROSENDO'S COMPUTER, THAT HE WAS

VERY INVOLVED WITH TRYING TO
MEET GIRLS ONLINE AND TRYING TO,

PERHAPS, HAVE SEX OR SOMETHING
ALONG THOSE LINES.

>> Narrator: FROM THE MOMENT
RODRIGUEZ GOT TO HIS PARENTS'

HOME, HE RAN A NUMBER OF
SEARCHES FOR THE NAME

SUMMER BALDWIN.

BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER NAME HE
SEARCHED REPEATEDLY.

>> BOOM!

THERE IT IS -- JOANNA ROGERS.

WHAT NEWS DO WE HAVE ABOUT
JOANNA ROGERS?

>> Narrator: 16-YEAR-OLD
JOANNA ROGERS, A HIGH-SCHOOL

STUDENT, HAD BEEN MISSING FOR
THE PAST 18 MONTHS.

HER PARENTS HAD LAST SEEN HER
THE NIGHT BEFORE SHE

DISAPPEARED, AROUND 1:00 A.M.,
WHEN SHE RETURNED HOME FROM HER

JOB AT A SANDWICH SHOP.

>> HER MOTHER TOLD HER THAT
SHE'D SEE HER IN THE MORNING.

JO SAID SHE'D SEE US IN THE
MORNING AND SHE LOVED US, AND

SHE WENT TO BED.

>> Narrator: THE NEXT MORNING,
JOANNA WAS GONE.

HER PARENTS KNEW IMMEDIATELY
SOMETHING WAS TERRIBLY WRONG.

>> SHE DIDN'T TAKE HER CAR.

SHE DIDN'T TAKE HER KEYS.

SHE DIDN'T TAKE HER MONEY.

SHE DIDN'T TAKE ANY CLOTHES,
EXCEPT FOR WHAT SHE WAS WEARING.

NO CELLPHONE.

NOTHING.

THAT RAISES A FLAG IMMEDIATELY.

>> SHE HAD JUST DISAPPEARED, AND
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

>> Narrator: THERE WAS NO
EVIDENCE OF AN INTRUDER, AND

JOANNA'S PARENTS, WHO SLEPT JUST
DOWN THE HALL, HAD HEARD

NOTHING.

>> I WANTED DESPERATELY TO
BELIEVE THAT SHE WAS GOING TO

WALK THROUGH THE DOOR, BUT I
LEFT MY MIND OPEN FOR OTHER

THINGS.

BUT I DID NOT DWELL ON THEM.

>> I WAS SCARED.

JOANNA JUST DIDN'T DO THAT.

YES, WE WERE VERY SCARED.

IT'S TOTALLY OUT OF CHARACTER
FOR HER.

>> Narrator: AT THE TIME, POLICE
AND VOLUNTEERS CONDUCTED AN

EXTENSIVE SEARCH FOR JOANNA BUT
TURNED UP NOTHING.

>> JOANNA, WHEREVER YOU ARE OUT
THERE, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT

WE LOVE YOU, AND ANYBODY KNOWS
WHERE SHE IS, PLEASE CALL THE

SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

HELP US FIND HER.

>> Narrator: NOW THAT
INVESTIGATORS KNEW

ROSENDO RODRIGUEZ WAS FOLLOWING
JOANNA'S STORY ON HIS COMPUTER,

POLICE WERE ALARMED.

>> THAT MADE US IMMEDIATELY
THINK, "IF HE DID THIS WITH

SUMMER BALDWIN, WHY COULDN'T HE
HAVE DONE THIS WITH

JOANNA ROGERS?"

>> Narrator: INVESTIGATORS WERE
CONVINCED THAT ROSENDO RODRIGUEZ

MURDERED SUMMER BALDWIN IN A
LUBBOCK, TEXAS, HOTEL BEFORE HE

PUT HER BODY IN A SUITCASE,
WHICH WAS LATER FOUND IN A CITY

LANDFILL.

BASED ON INFORMATION FOUND IN
RODRIGUEZ'S COMPUTER,

INVESTIGATORS ALSO SUSPECTED HE
MIGHT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE

DISAPPEARANCE OF 16-YEAR-OLD
JOANNA ROGERS, WHO HAD BEEN

MISSING FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS.

>> HE WAS GOING FROM NEWS STORY
TO NEWS STORY TO NEWS STORY,

REGARDING, SPECIFICALLY,
SUMMER BALDWIN, AND THEN LATER

ON, JOANNA ROGERS.

AND HE HAS A VERY SPECIFIC
INTEREST IN BOTH THOSE CASES.

HE'S TRYING TO SEE IF THEY'RE
PIECING ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER

AT THAT POINT.

>> Narrator: RODRIGUEZ'S
COMPUTER ALSO REVEALED ANOTHER

TROUBLING COINCIDENCE.

HE HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH
JOANNA BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED.

>> THIS MINOR IS SAYING THAT SHE
DID HAVE SOME CONVERSATION WITH

ROSENDO RODRIGUEZ.

>> Narrator: AND JOANNA BORE A
STRIKING RESEMBLANCE TO

SUMMER BALDWIN.

>> THERE MAY BE A PROFILE HERE
WITH HIM -- REDHEADS,

FAIR-SKINNED, A CERTAIN AGE
GROUP.

WE WERE NOW STARTING TO WONDER
IF POSSIBLY WE HAD A SERIAL

KILLER.

>> Narrator: BUT INVESTIGATORS
NEEDED MORE PROOF.

JOANNA ROGERS' CELLPHONE RECORDS
SHOWED NO CALLS TO OR FROM

RODRIGUEZ.

BUT THEY DID FIND PROOF
RODRIGUEZ MADE CELLPHONE CALLS

TO THE LANDLINE IN JOANNA'S
BEDROOM, AND THAT HE'D DONE SO

ON THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED.

>> WE FIGURED THAT HE PROBABLY
CALLED HER ON HIS WAY OVER TO

HER HOUSE AND THEN CALLED HER
WHEN HE GOT THERE.

>> Narrator: THE THOUGHT THAT
JOANNA MIGHT HAVE SUFFERED THE

SAME FATE AS SUMMER BALDWIN WAS
MORE THAN HER FAMILY COULD BEAR.

>> AND IT WAS ALMOST TOO MUCH.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS OVERWHELMING.

>> I DON'T KNOW HOW I FELT.

I MEAN, IT WAS JUST LIKE A SLAP
IN THE CHEST.

>> Narrator: IF THE TWO CASES
WERE RELATED AND JOANNA'S BODY

WAS IN THE CITY LANDFILL, A
SPACE THE SIZE OF THREE FOOTBALL

FIELDS, HOW WOULD INVESTIGATORS
FIND IT?

>> WE HAVE BASICALLY 1,260 ACRES
OF TRASH.

THAT BECOMES A CRIME SCENE.

>> Narrator: BUT INVESTIGATORS
GOT A HUGE BREAK WHEN THEY

LEARNED LANDFILL OFFICIALS WERE
FAR BETTER ORGANIZED THAN THEY

THOUGHT.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS
QUITE AMAZED BY WAS HOW

STRATEGICALLY PLACED, OR
LINED-OUT, THE TRASH IS, THAT

IT'S PUT IN GRIDS.

THEY CAN ACTUALLY GO BACK AND
DETERMINE A REGION OR AREA WHERE

TRASH WAS DUMPED FROM A
PARTICULAR AREA OF THE CITY.

>> Narrator: SO VOLUNTEERS
SEARCHED THE AREA WHERE TRASH

FROM JOANNA'S NEIGHBORHOOD WAS
DUMPED.

BUT EVEN THEN, IT WAS ALMOST TWO
YEARS' WORTH OF TRASH -- ALMOST

A QUARTER OF A MILLION TONS OF
IT -- TO DIG THROUGH.

>> THE THING I REMEMBER WHEN I
FIRST GOT THERE WERE THE SMELLS,

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

IT'S JUST GOD-AWFUL SMELLS.

>> THIS IS NOT A PLEASANT PLACE.

YOU CAN GO TO YOUR DUMPSTER --
MULTIPLY THAT TIMES 10,000

TIMES OUT THERE, AND THAT'LL
GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW BAD IT

SMELLS.

>> Narrator: HUNDREDS OF
VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATED IN THE

SEARCH.

>> TO US, IT WAS A PHENOMENAL
EFFORT THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO

DO FOR OUR DAUGHTER.

>> Narrator: AFTER 12 WEEKS,
INVESTIGATORS HAD TO CONSIDER

THE POSSIBILITY THEY WOULDN'T
FIND JOANNA'S BODY AND THAT THE

RISK FOR THE VOLUNTEERS
OUTWEIGHED SPENDING MORE TIME.

>> IT'S RAT-INFESTED,
DISEASE-INFESTED DEBRIS.

I DON'T THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
JUST WHAT A SACRIFICE THAT WAS

FOR FOLKS -- THE RISKS THAT THEY
TOOK AND THE THINGS THAT THEY

ENDURED.

>> Narrator: BUT FINALLY, AFTER
MONTHS OF DISAPPOINTMENT, A

BACK-HOE MOVING A PILE OF TRASH
UNCOVERED A SUITCASE.

INSIDE WAS THE DECOMPOSED BODY
OF A YOUNG GIRL WITH RED HAIR.

DENTAL RECORDS CONFIRMED IT WAS
JOANNA ROGERS.

>> NOW WHEN HER MOM WANTED TO
GRIEVE FOR HER, SHE COULD GO DO

IT.

>> I'M SO HAPPY WE FOUND YOU,
HONEY.

I WISH WE COULD BE TOGETHER,
BUT WE WILL BE ONE OF THESE

DAYS.

>> Narrator: WHILE ONE QUESTION
WAS ANSWERED, ANOTHER REMAINED.

WOULD FORENSIC EVIDENCE TIE
ROSENDO RODRIGUEZ TO JOANNA'S

MURDER?

>> Narrator: THANKS TO DIGITAL
TECHNOLOGY, INVESTIGATORS NEEDED

JUST TWO DAYS TO TIE
ROSENDO RODRIGUEZ TO

SUMMER BALDWIN'S MURDER.

>> I GUESS SOME OF THE THINGS
I'VE LEARNED ON THIS CASE ARE

THAT THE SMALLEST PIECE OF
EVIDENCE SOMETIMES CAN COME OUT

TO BE OR MAKE THE BIGGEST
DIFFERENCE IN A CASE, SO YOU

NEVER OVERLOOK ANYTHING.

>> IT CAME BACK TO THAT UPC CODE
INSIDE THAT SUITCASE, THAT

TRACKING CODE, AND THAT'S WHAT
LED TO EVERYTHING.

>> Narrator: BASED ON THE
EVIDENCE, PROSECUTORS BELIEVE

RODRIGUEZ PICKED UP
SUMMER BALDWIN AND THEY WENT TO

THE HOLIDAY INN HOTEL.

THEY HAD SEXUAL RELATIONS, AND
AT SOME POINT THERE WAS AN

ARGUMENT THAT TURNED VIOLENT.

>> WHAT MONEY?

>> THE MONEY YOU'RE GOING TO PAY
ME!

>> Narrator: THE FORENSIC
EVIDENCE SHOWS RODRIGUEZ BEAT

SUMMER UNTIL SHE WAS
UNCONSCIOUS.

BLOOD SPATTER HIT THE FLOOR,
BEDSPRING, AND BED SHEET.

RODRIGUEZ THEN DROVE TO THE
LOCAL WALMART, WHERE HE BOUGHT A

SUITCASE AND A PAIR OF LATEX
GLOVES AND PAID WITH HIS CREDIT

CARD.

FROM THERE, HE PURCHASED
GASOLINE, AND ACCORDING TO HIS

HOTEL KEY, RE-ENTERED HIS HOTEL
ROOM AT 3:46 A.M.

RODRIGUEZ PUT SUMMER'S BODY INTO
THE SUITCASE WHILE SHE WAS STILL

ALIVE AND THREW THE GLOVES IN
THE TRASH ALONG WITH THE

SUITCASE RECEIPT.

THE GLOVES CONTAINED BOTH
SUMMER'S AND RODRIGUEZ'S DNA.

RODRIGUEZ DISPOSED OF SUMMER'S
BODY IN A DUMPSTER, WHICH WAS

LATER PICKED UP BY A TRUCK AND
DUMPED IN THE LANDFILL.

RODRIGUEZ'S CELLPHONE REVEALED
HIS GETAWAY ROUTE TO

SAN ANTONIO, BUT IT ALL STARTED
WITH THE BARCODE INSIDE THE

SUITCASE.

WHEN RODRIGUEZ WAS ARRESTED FOR
SUMMER'S MURDER, EVIDENCE IN HIS

COMPUTER TIED HIM TO
JOANNA ROGERS' DISAPPEARANCE

18 MONTHS EARLIER.

COMPUTER FORENSICS SHOWED HE
COMMUNICATED WITH JOANNA ONLINE

AND CALLED HER ON HIS CELLPHONE
AROUND 2:00 A.M. ON THE NIGHT

SHE DISAPPEARED, MOST LIKELY TO
TELL HER HE WAS WAITING OUTSIDE.

>> I'LL BE RIGHT OUT.

>> Both: HEY.

>> HOW ARE YOU?

SO WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

>> Narrator: PROSECUTORS BELIEVE
THE TWO ARGUED OVER THE

POSSIBILITY OF A SEXUAL
ENCOUNTER, AN ARGUMENT THAT

TURNED VIOLENT.

AND THE EVIDENCE SHOWED
RODRIGUEZ DID THE SAME THING HE

DID TO SUMMER BALDWIN.

AFTER HE KILLED JOANNA, HE
PLACED HER BODY IN A SUITCASE

AND PUT IT IN A DUMPSTER, WHICH
EVENTUALLY MADE ITS WAY TO THE

SAME LANDFILL.

UNFORTUNATELY, NO DNA EVIDENCE
WAS RECOVERED FROM

JOANNA ROGERS' AUTOPSY.

>> BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OR THE
STATUS OF THE BODY, WE WERE NOT

ABLE TO MAKE CERTAIN
DETERMINATIONS AS CAUSE AND

MANNER OF DEATH.

>> Narrator: BUT THE DISCOVERY
OF JOANNA'S REMAINS WAS AN

ASTOUNDING ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR
EVERYONE WHO TOOK PART IN THE

SEARCH.

>> THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DID A
FANTASTIC JOB GETTING THE BODY

AND BRINGING HER BACK SO SHE CAN
HAVE A PROPER BURIAL.

THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE FAMILY.

I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO HER
AND HER MEMORY.

>> Narrator: ROSENDO RODRIGUEZ
WENT ON TRIAL FOR THE MURDER OF

SUMMER LEE BALDWIN -- THE CASE
WITH THE STRONGEST FORENSIC

EVIDENCE.

HE WAS CONVICTED AND SENTENCED
TO DEATH.

>> THIS CASE WOULD NEVER BE
SOLVED BUT FOR THE FORENSIC

EVIDENCE -- THE DNA EVIDENCE,
THE BLOOD EVIDENCE, THE

FORENSIC-COMPUTER EVIDENCE, THE
TRACE IN THE SUITCASE.

>> Narrator: RODRIGUEZ
EVENTUALLY CONFESSED TO

JOANNA ROGERS' MURDER.

>> SOMEBODY WILL ALWAYS TRY TO
FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET AWAY

WITH A CRIME, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE
TRY TO DO, IS CATCH THOSE

PEOPLE.

>> THERE IS NO PERFECT CRIME.

FORENSICS IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE
THERE.

IT'S JUST LIKE A WARRANT -- YOU
CAN TRY TO OUTRUN IT, BUT IT'S

ALWAYS GOING TO BE THERE.

>> BOY HOWDY, NO MATTER HOW MUCH
YOU KNOW -- AND YOU CAN WATCH

ALL THOSE TV SHOWS -- THERE'S
ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW, AND, BY

GOLLY, THERE'S THINGS WE STILL
DON'T KNOW ABOUT, AND THEY'LL

GET YOU.