CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. — A years-long search for justice ended Friday in an emotional courtroom as Jose Dominguez-Garcia, 27, of Reedsburg, was sentenced to 25 years in prison and 15 years of extended supervision for the 2020 murder of Rosaly Rodriguez, 24, who was pregnant at the time of her death.
Rodriguez had been missing for nearly three months when her remains were discovered on October 14, 2020, stuffed inside a suitcase on an abandoned farm in the Town of Wheaton, Chippewa County.
Dominguez-Garcia, who was her boyfriend, fled the state and remained on the run for nearly two years. He was eventually captured on November 23, 2023, in Gladstone, Missouri, after local police used automated license plate readers to track a vehicle with stolen plates. When officers confronted him, he gave multiple false names but was soon identified and extradited to Wisconsin.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge James Isaacson emphasized the importance of closure for Rodriguez’s family. “What makes sense to me is making sure the defendant is punished,” the judge said.
Dominguez-Garcia addressed the court briefly:
“I know that words will not change anything. I’m here and I will accept the punishment… I’m so sorry.”
Rosaly’s father, Marcial Chavarria Jorge, traveled from Peru to speak to the press after the hearing, expressing sorrow and rage in his native Spanish.
“This criminal, Jose Eduardo Dominguez Garcia, may he rot in jail. He had no compassion for two lives,” said Chavarria, referencing Rosaly and her unborn child.
Rosaly’s sister cried out, “Murderer!” as Dominguez-Garcia was led from the courtroom.
The court also ordered that Rodriguez’s remains be released to her family, who plan to return her home to Peru for burial.
“My baby, Rosaly,” her father said, holding her photo. “May she rest in peace. And may God have her in his glory. I love you, baby.”
Dominguez-Garcia had been wanted since December 15, 2021, when a warrant was issued for his arrest. The case drew regional attention due to the horrific nature of the crime and his time on the run.
