SAN ANTONIO –
Alleged victims in a theft of the elderly case involving two San Antonio roofers could be surprised to learn one of them served 20 years for his role in a high-profile murder-for-hire case nearly 25 years ago.
Mark Rodriguez and Richard Stevens, co-owners of Durizon Roofing, were arrested Thursday. They are accused of allegedly conning elderly customers out of nearly $100,000 for repairs that were never done after this year’s historic hailstorm.
If convicted, it would not be Rodriguez’s first time behind bars. He served 20 years for his role in a high-profile 1992 murder-for-hire case that also involved his brother, Michael Rodriguez, who was part of the notorious Connally Seven prison escape in December 2000.
Rodriguez was executed for shooting a Dallas police officer to death while he was on the run.
When Eddie Sanchez and his wife saw Mark Rodriguez’s latest arrest, they weren’t sure it was who they thought it was.
"They mentioned Michael, his brother, and that’s when we realized it was him," Sanchez said.
Michael Rodriguez had been married to Sanchez’s daughter, Theresa, until she was gunned down in the couple’s driveway in 1992. Mark Rodriguez later served 20 years for hatching the murder plot that resulted in her death.
“Mark walked up to Michael and said, ‘You know what? Let’s get a big insurance policy, and I’ll find somebody who will come in and murder her,’” Sanchez said.
As for the motive, Sanchez said Michael Rodriguez had been selling tacos from a van at construction sites, along with cocaine.
Sanchez said Mark Rodriguez told his brother that by using the insurance money, “We’ll start buying it by the kilo.”
“Michael said 'OK,'” Sanchez said.
As for Mark Rodriguez’s latest arrest, Sanchez said he’s not surprised.
“No. No. People like that, it’s in their genes,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez said he’s even willing to testify against Mark Rodriguez.
“People are still calling, saying, ‘Hey, you know he did this to my grandmother.’ So there’s going to be a lot more,” Sanchez said. “He will go back to prison.”
Sanchez said with a smile, it would be only fitting, “Oh, absolutely.”
Both Rodriguez and Stevens were still in the Bexar County jail Friday evening under bonds totaling $80,000.
They’re also being held on theft of property charges out of Tom Green County near San Angelo. View Mark Rodriguez's indictments here and here. View Richard Stevens' indictment here.
Those charges involve three cases, with bonds that total $32,500.