A California man who admitted to fatally shooting a woman “for no apparent reason” will spend the next five decades behind bars after receiving a 55-years-to-life prison sentence.
Johnny Jose Rodriguez, 31, pleaded guilty earlier this month to second-degree murder in the death of 32-year-old Angela Struzas, who was killed inside a residence in Indio, approximately 120 miles east of Los Angeles. On Tuesday, a Riverside County judge formally imposed the sentence, according to City News Service.
The fatal shooting occurred on January 14, 2020, in the 38000 block of Rancho Los Coyotes Drive. Police responding to the scene discovered Struzas suffering from multiple gunshot wounds inside a bedroom. She was pronounced dead at the location.
During the investigation, detectives arrested Rodriguez on suspicion of murder. Struzas’ roommate, who was 44 at the time, was also taken into custody and initially charged with accessory to murder and witness intimidation. Those charges were later dropped after investigators determined the roommate was not involved in the killing.
According to testimony presented during a 2020 preliminary hearing, Rodriguez immediately confessed when questioned by police.
“I’m a good aim,” he told investigators, City News Service reported.
Rodriguez claimed the victim’s roommate handed him a firearm and instructed him to “get her.” He said he first shot Struzas in the arm before firing a second, fatal shot.
Indio Police Detective Kelly Hawkins described the scene officers encountered upon entering the room.
“She was just drenched in blood, in a pool of blood,” Hawkins testified.
Despite admitting to the shooting, Rodriguez refused to explain why he carried it out. Authorities later confirmed there was no evidence to support his claim that the roommate encouraged the attack.
Court records also showed Rodriguez had a prior felony conviction related to drug possession, a factor considered during sentencing.
With the imposed sentence, Rodriguez will be eligible for parole only after serving several decades in state prison.
