HUDSON – Luis Santos, 26, has been found guilty for the murder of Karla Rodriguez, 20, in Hudson in 2019.
His trial before a jury in Middlesex County Superior Court concluded on Jan. 31, and the jury found him guilty of murder in the first degree and carrying a firearm without a license.
Santos was sentenced to life in prison for the murder charge and between four to five years for the charge of carrying a firearm without a license. The sentences are to be served concurrently.
However, Santos has filed a notice of appeal on Feb. 1.
The Hudson Police Department had responded to two 911 calls at 7 Howe Street on Dec. 12, 2019.
During her closing remarks, Santos’ attorney Debra Dewitt had said that Santos had been in a relationship with Rodriguez and the two lived at the Howe Street apartment. She argued that Santos had been excited to learn that Rodriguez was pregnant.
According to her closing statement, the prior night, Rodriguez had spent the night at her mother’s home in Framingham, and the next day she went to Planned Parenthood in Worcester to undergo an abortion.
After, Rodriguez reportedly asked for a ride home, but her mother was at work and could not pick her up, according to the statement of facts filed in Superior Court.
“The victim was picked up by Santos and while driving back to Hudson, she continued to text with her mother and told her that Santos was very mad and was calling and texting people and making disparaging comments about Ms. Rodriguez,” the statement of facts read.
Dewitt argued that Rodriguez had not told Santos, and at some point, Rodriguez’s mother told her that she needed to tell him the truth. However, Prosecutor Joseph Gentile argued that they don’t know whether Rodriguez did tell Santos about the procedure.
Surveillance video showed Santos taking an object from a Toyota Corolla. As Rodriguez drives toward Howe Street, the video shows Santos approaching her car, she backs up and Santos points what appears to be a firearm and shoot into the windshield.
When police arrived, Rodriguez was unresponsive and sitting in the driver’s seat of a Subaru that came to rest against a fence on the side of the driveway. Police saw two gunshots into the windshield, and police described her injury as a life threatening gunshot wound to the head.
“His intention was to kill Karla and he did so,” said Gentile during his closing remarks.
