Federal prosecutors halt death penalty for man who killed Dru Sjodin

FARGO — Federal prosecutors will cease pursuing the loss of life penalty towards Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. nearly 20 years after he killed Dru Sjodin.

U.S. Legal professional Basic Merrick Garland advised the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace in North Dakota to withdraw a discover of intent to hunt capital punishment towards Rodriguez. Eighth Circuit Court docket of Appeals Choose Ralph Erickson threw out the loss of life sentence in June after a jury dominated in 2007 that Rodriguez needs to be put to loss of life.

Rodriguez will spend the remainder of his life in jail for killing the 22-year-old College of North Dakota scholar. Prosecutors mentioned he kidnapped her from Columbia Mall in Grand Forks, sexually assaulted her, and marched her down a ravine close to Crookston, Minnesota. That is the place he slashed her throat and left her for useless within the snow, prosecutors mentioned.

Her physique was present in April 2004.

“My ideas at present are with Dru Sjodin’s household, notably her dad and mom, Linda Walker and Allan Sjodin,” mentioned Mac Schneider, U.S. legal professional for North Dakota. “They’re genuinely good individuals and loving dad and mom who within the wake of an unimaginable loss have labored carefully with our workplace for almost twenty years. We proceed to want them the best measure of peace attainable.”

“I additionally wish to commend the trial staff, together with former United States Legal professional Drew Wrigley, in addition to our workplace’s appellate attorneys and assist workers,” Schneider mentioned. “Over the past 20 years, they’ve constantly upheld the excessive requirements of the Division of Justice via their work on this tragic case. Because of their efforts, Mr. Rodriguez is — and can stay — a convicted assassin.”

“The directive to withdraw the loss of life discover has modified how the USA Legal professional’s Workplace will proceed with this case,” Schneider mentioned. “What won’t change is that Mr. Rodriguez will draw his final breath in a federal jail.”

Test again for updates on this creating story.

April Baumgarten joined The Discussion board in February 2019 as an investigative reporter. She grew up on a ranch 10 miles southeast of Belfield, N.D., the place her household raises Hereford cattle. She double majored in communications and historical past/political science on the College of Jamestown, N.D.