Wisconsin – In a heartbreaking case that shattered a Wisconsin family, a 19-year-old man, identified as J. Rodrigues, has been sentenced for the reckless act that claimed the life of his 10-year-old cousin, identified as I. Ortiz, who died in her sleep when the bullet he accidentally fired while playing with a gun struck her in the chest.
Rodriguez was sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with the murder. He pleaded guilty in June to second-degree reckless homicide in connection with the May 2024 tragedy. Rodriguez will serve nearly a decade in state prison. He was credited for the 14 months he had already spent in pretrial custody. Once his prison term is complete, he will serve eight years on supervised release. The plea deal spared him from facing the maximum 25-year term that could have come from a trial conviction.
The fatal shooting unfolded in the early morning hours of May 31, 2024, inside a split-level home. Authorities confirmed that all residents of the building were related. Shortly after 12:40 a.m., Ortiz’s mother awoke to the sound of her daughter murmuring “ouch” before falling silent. She reached out to shake her child, only to realize blood was soaking the sheets. A fresh bullet hole in the ceiling confirmed the unthinkable — a shot had traveled through the upper unit and struck her daughter in the chest. Moments later, Rodriguez appeared at the foot of the stairs, confessing in panic: “It’s my fault. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”
Investigators later determined that Rodriguez, then 18, had been playing with a firearm upstairs when it discharged. The bullet first pierced a couch cushion before tearing through the floor and ceiling, striking Ortiz as she lay next to her mother and baby brother. Rodriguez fled before officers arrived, but was arrested days later. Surveillance footage from outside the residence captured him carrying a handgun while wearing a blue rubber glove just minutes before the gun went off. Roughly 44 seconds after he entered through a back door, a loud bang echoed.
Family members recounted the chaos that followed. His grandmother said Rodriguez came rushing into the basement asking if everyone was okay. His father soon arrived, confirming that “a tragedy had occurred” after the gun discharged in his son’s hands. Court documents also revealed this was not the first time a gun had been fired inside the home. About a month before the fatal shooting, another bullet had ripped from the upper floor into the living room below. Fortunately, no one was injured that time.
The investigation into the May shooting uncovered a disturbing stash of firearms. Police discovered a satchel in a closet containing three loaded semi-automatic pistols, a 50-round drum magazine, and additional loaded magazines. In court, prosecutors stressed the immense harm Rodriguez’s recklessness had inflicted, emphasizing that a 10-year-old girl had lost her life in a place where she should have felt safe.
Relatives of the victim described the devastating impact of her death. For her siblings, especially her 14-year-old sister who heard the shots and her cousin’s panicked confession, the memory of that night will never fade. Though Rodriguez expressed regret, the judge underscored that his actions carried consequences far beyond an apology. With his guilty plea, Rodriguez avoided trial but now faces nearly a decade behind bars, followed by strict supervision. For the victim’s family, justice brings a measure of accountability — but the loss of Ortiz remains an irreplaceable wound.
