HOUSTON, TX — The man at the center of a manhunt in connection with two murders at Houston-area mattress stores and the shooting death of a 62-year-old woman Friday was arrested Tuesday morning in northwest Houston.
Jose Rodriguez was taken into custody after leading police on a chase when deputies spotted him in a gray Nissan Sentra stolen after the murder of Edward Magana at the Mattress One store inside the Northline Commons shopping center Monday afternoon.
According to numerous reports, Rodriguez was spotted driving the Nissan not far from where he began his crime spree with the home invasion and robbery on July 9.
Deputies spotted the Nissan on North Eldridge Parkway near Fallbrook in Spring, KTRK reported. The chase lasted about 20 minutes, and ended with nearly a dozen sheriff’s deputies blocking the intersection of North Eldridge Parkway and Wortham Landing ending Rodriguez’s crime spree.
Ironically, Rodriguez led police through the same neighborhood where he allegedly robbed an elderly couple on Foxborough on July 9, police said.
Police began their search for Rodriguez after the body of 62-year-old Pamela Johnson was found inside her home on July 13 at 124502 Bent Pines Drive.
Two days later, police released video that showed Rodriguez walking through Willowbrook Mall shortly after he abandoned Johnson’s car in the mall parking lot.
Rodriguez was connected to the murders of 28-year-old Allie Barrow on July 14 and 57-year-old Edward Magana, an immigrant from El Salvador and the father of four, on July 16.
On Saturday, police say Rodriguez walked into the Mattress Firm store in the 7500 block of FM 1960, where he shot and killed Barrow and hid her body in the back of the store.
Police said Rodriguez was also responsible for the shooting of a METRO Lift driver on Monday morning.
Rodriguez, who was on parole, could eventually be connected to other crimes, officials said. Rodriguez is in the Harris County Jail and is being held without bond.
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