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DRU SJODIN CASE: Knife found in trunk Source: Blood in Rodriguez's car matches Sjodin's DNA
Miami Herald ^ | 12-9-2003 | Stephen J. Lee

Posted on 12/09/2003 8:24:26 AM PST by Hillary's Lovely Legs

A knife in a pool of liquid household cleaner was found in the spare tire well of Alfonso Rodriguez Jr.'s maroon 2002 Mercury Sable sedan, according to a source close to the investigation.

Investigators could tell that the interior of the car and the trunk obviously had been recently and extensively cleaned, the source told the Herald.

But bloodstains found in the car have been matched with Sjodin's DNA, the source said. Other news reports also cite sources for the DNA match of blood samples in the car to Sjodin.

Grand Forks State's Attorney Peter Welte has said that he has evidence that Rodriguez used the car to abduct Dru Sjodin from the JC Penney parking lot at Columbia Mall on Nov. 22. But he declined to say what the evidence is.

The Associated Press reported that its source said a knife sheath was found near Sjodin's car, which was in the JC Penney lot.

Rodriguez bought the car in June from a Grand Forks dealership, said the salesman.

Rodriguez, 50, was arrested Dec. 1 -- several days after his car was searched and impounded -- and charged in Sjodin's abduction. He had been out of prison only seven months after serving 23 years for stabbing a Crookston woman in 1980 while trying to abduct her. The woman fought him off; she recovered from stab wounds to her abdomen and arm.

In 1974, Rodriguez was convicted of two separate incidents in which he sexually assaulted women after kidnapping or trying to kidnap them. In at least one of the cases, he used a knife.

After returning to Crookston in May to live with his mother, Rodriguez has been registered as a Level 3 sex offender, the most risky and predatory of three categories in Minnesota.

Rodriguez appeared in Grand Forks District Court last week on the charge of kidnapping Sjodin and remains in jail under $5 million bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 4.

Rodriguez drove his car to work Monday, Nov. 24, at a construction site in McIntosh, Minn., about 30 miles east of Crookston, said those who worked with him hanging drywall. Investigators searched the car at the job site a day or two before Thanksgiving and impounded it soon after the search, sources familiar with the investigation told the Herald.

Search moves north

Meanwhile, evidence used to gain an arrest warrant against Rodriguez, which has been sealed in a court file since he was arrested Dec. 1, likely will be made public today. Welte, the prosecutor, initially asked a judge to seal the evidence to protect the investigation and Sjodin's family. But after several news media companies, including the Herald, filed motions demanding the affidavit of probable cause be unsealed, Welte said he would not oppose making the document public.

David Dusek, Rodriguez's court-appointed attorney, said he would decide today if he would object to the unsealing of the affidavit.

District Judge Lawrence Jahnke, assigned to the case, said Monday that he has no plans to hold a formal hearing on the issue. He indicated his decision would be made in the form of a court order shortly after noon today.

"No one has requested a hearing," Jahnke said. "We are not going to have a hearing."

He merely must wait until Dusek files some documents this morning, Jahnke said.

Dusek said his client doesn't want to talk to law enforcement anymore and has denied any involvement in Sjodin's disappearance.

Rodriguez's sister, Illeana Noyes of rural Crookston, said she spoke to Dusek for about an hour Monday but declined to comment on what was said.

Meanwhile, about 20 family members and close friends of Sjodin searched 26 square miles near Alvarado, Minn., about 20 miles north of East Grand Forks. The search included abandoned buildings, culverts, bridges and "other remote areas," said Bob Heales, the Denver private investigator who has donated his expertise for the past two weeks to help lead the family's separate search effort. Heales also has a home in Crosslake, Minn., the hometown of Chris Lang, Sjodin's boyfriend. Crosslake is next to Pequot Lakes, Sjodin's hometown.

"We didn't really turn up much of anything of interest," Heales said of Monday's search. It was based on a tip left on a Web site, based on its proximity to routes Rodriguez could have traveled, Heales said.

The group plans to search in the same general area today, he said.

The law enforcement search, meanwhile, will continue but in a limited fashion, following only specific leads, said Capt. Mike Kirby of the Grand Forks Police Department. He said the focus will be on "construction sites and industrial sites" and asked property owners to search their land.

No more large-scale volunteer-aided ground sweeps are planned now, Kirby he said.

Large portions of Grand Forks County, which has 1,400 square miles, and Polk County, which has 2,000 square miles, have been searched, but the entire region can't be searched by foot, Kirby said.

Temperatures falling well below freezing in recent days have made large efforts using untrained volunteer searchers more dangerous, Kirby said. But if one is needed, another will be mounted, he said.

Monday, the U.S. Border Patrol briefed law enforcement officers on the extent of the search so far, using computer-generated maps of the area, Kirby said. That helped focus future searching, he said.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the FBI remain working closely with the Grand Forks police and sheriff's departments in Grand Forks and Polk counties, Kirby said.

Authorities plan to ask North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven for assistance in the searches.

"What we're hoping for is personnel and equipment," said Grand Forks County Sheriff Dan Hill. "We're certainly not going to slow down on this thing."

Nearly 1,500 tips have come in -- not many in recent days -- and each one is checked, including those from psychics and "remote viewers," who offer their services in finding Sjodin, Kirby said.

For the first time, police are asking local fire departments in the region to join the organized searches by law enforcement officers.

Thursday, on their own initiative, the volunteer fire department in McIntosh, Minn., searched an area along the Poplar River, which is near the construction job site on the east side of town where Rodriguez worked until just before Thanksgiving. Fire Chief Larry Hedlund said he suggested the search to the Polk County Sheriff's Office after he learned Rodriguez had worked there. Nothing was found, he said.

Mark Bodunov, a drywall contractor supervising Rodriguez's work at the site, said he and the construction manager searched the area where the city is building a 28-unit assisted living apartment complex at the direction of investigators.

Reach Lee at (701) 780-1237, or (800) 477-6572, extension 237; e-mail slee@gfherald.com.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alfonsorodriguez; dru; drusjodin; sjodin
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To: Jackie-O; Velveeta; maggiefluffs; Devil_Anse; MaggieMay; All
Geraldo said tonight (Saturday) that blood and blonde hair were found on the floor of the Rodrickez's garage.
181 posted on 12/13/2003 8:49:16 PM PST by Sandylapper
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To: Sandylapper
Oops, Rodriguez's garage.
182 posted on 12/13/2003 8:51:44 PM PST by Sandylapper
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To: Sandylapper
Oh, no!

Could this guy get any more stereotypical? He is in his 50's and lives with his mother... the idea that he returned to his home with enough blood on him to leave some of it IN or ON the garage... reminds me of how Jeffrey Dahmer lived with his grandmother for a while, and was killing people at that time... poor old grandma didn't have a clue what was going on in that separate part of her house where her grandson lived. OR... could Rodriguez have actually had Dru's body AT the house??! Surely, surely, they've done a thorough search there. I can't imagine anyone being able to dig much in that frozen ground, so where the heck could poor Dru's body be?
183 posted on 12/13/2003 9:34:43 PM PST by Devil_Anse
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To: Devil_Anse; All
Well, keep in mind this WAS Geraldo, and of course, no definite word yet on a DNA match for either the blonde hair or blood. But Rodriguez is a real sicko, IMO, and I hope we learn more about this hair and blood. Just makes me ill!
184 posted on 12/13/2003 9:54:51 PM PST by Sandylapper
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To: Sandylapper; Devil_Anse; Velveeta; MaggieMay; ~Kim4VRWC's~
We got our bad guy yesterday too!!!
You all have freepmail!
185 posted on 12/14/2003 9:04:53 AM PST by Jackie-O ("The horror...the horror"- Col. Kurtz)
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To: Jackie-O
Woo Hoo!! That's fantastic news! Am going to read now..
186 posted on 12/14/2003 9:08:46 AM PST by Freedom2specul8 (Please pray for our troops.... http://anyservicemember.navy.mil/)
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To: Jackie-O
You made my day! You have freepmail.
187 posted on 12/14/2003 11:51:38 AM PST by MaggieMay (A blank tag is a terrible thing to waste)
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs
FYI, update. What a very sad holiday season this must be for Dru's family. Prayers that Dru is found.




Another search planned for Dru Sjodin
Updated: 12-26-2003 05:45:17 PM

(Crosslake-AP) -- Another search is planned for Dru Sjodin.

Earlier this week, the family of the missing North Dakota student raised more than 57-thousand-dollars.

Organizers say an auction and raffle at the Zorbaz restaurant in Crosslake brought in more than 50-thousand-dollars. Suggested donations of five dollars for admission also raised another 75-hundred dollars.

Sjodin's mother -- Linda Walker -- lives in Crosslake about 23 miles north of Brainerd.

Sjodin disappeared more than a month ago, and searches by police, volunteers and National Guard troops have been unsuccessful.

Alfonso Rodriguez Junior -- a convicted rapist from Crookston -- has been charged with kidnapping in the woman's disappearance.

Another search will probably be organized for next month.
http://www.kstp.com/article/view/125629/
188 posted on 12/29/2003 6:48:53 AM PST by nicmarlo
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs
Law enforcement officials say unless they get new leads, they will wait until Spring to resume searching.

More information in the search for Dru Sjodin: www.finddru.com

http://www.kstp.com/article/view/125639/
189 posted on 12/29/2003 6:52:22 AM PST by nicmarlo
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To: Aaron0617
It's been three months. Anyone know if they are any closer to finding a body or if this guy is even talking?

Thanks.

190 posted on 02/20/2004 9:01:15 PM PST by Aaron0617
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To: Aaron0617; All
They just found her remains today.
191 posted on 04/17/2004 11:43:26 PM PDT by JLO (CAN'T)
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