FLEMINGTON, NJ (Hunterdon County) – A Texas man who killed Florida man at a Hunterdon County truck stop has been sentenced to state prison, according to Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson.
The Honorable Angela F. Borkowski, J.S.C. sentenced David L. Rodriguez, 47, of Alamo Wednesday to a 20 year state prison term subject to the No Early Release Act. Rodriguez will have to serve 85% of his sentence, that is, 17 years, before he is eligible for parole. He will be supervised on parole for five years after his release from prison, Robeson said.
On June 22, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree aggravated manslaughter.
On January 23, at around 12:37 p.m., state troopers responded to the report of a shooting at the Pilot Travel Center in Union Township. Upon arrival, troopers discovered the victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds inside the Travel Center convenience store, Robeson said.
De Castro was transported to the Hunterdon Medical Center where he died from his injuries.
The sentencing is a result of a joint investigation conducted by the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Jersey State Police
Prosecutor Robeson condemned the senseless violence that resulted in the victim’s death.
“We again find ourselves mourning a life cut short at the hands of gun violence. This case is an unfortunate example of how a roadside dispute quickly escalated into a fatal encounter. As the Court acknowledged during sentencing today, anyone who possesses a firearm is tasked with appreciating the profound power and responsibility that comes with it, including exercising restraint in the face of confrontation. Mr. Rodriguez took the life of a hardworking and beloved man for which he will have to serve a lengthy sentence,” Robeson said.
