DALLAS, TX — Olivia Rodriguez, a 30-year-old woman, was tragically found dead on Monday, June 2, inside an apartment near Forest Lane and Highway 75. Her body was discovered after her mother, Judy Garza, persistently contacted Dallas police for over a week, fearing for her daughter’s safety when she failed to call on her own child’s birthday.
Dallas police have arrested Teray Montrell Sam, 33, and charged him with murder in connection to Rodriguez’s death. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by FOX 4, Rodriguez’s body was discovered in an advanced state of decomposition on the living room floor of Sam’s apartment, surrounded by blankets and personal items. Investigators found a large amount of blood at the scene and evidence suggesting she was killed with a bladed weapon.
Rodriguez was last heard from on May 24. Her mother became alarmed when Olivia failed to reach out on May 27, the birthday of her young daughter — something family members say she would never miss.
“I knew something was wrong,” said Garza. “She never misses her daughter’s birthday. Never.”
Garza says she reached out to the Dallas Police Department multiple times with her concerns but did not receive a timely response. The family had last seen Rodriguez in the company of Sam, who Garza says was involved in a relationship with her daughter.
Just days before her death, Rodriguez left her daughter a package containing a phone case — inside was the address to the apartment where she was later found. Garza believes it was a subtle cry for help.
On the morning of June 2, Garza confronted Sam and asked him to meet her at the 75 West Apartments. Upon arrival, she found police conducting a wellness check. When officers entered the apartment, they discovered Rodriguez’s body inside.
On Wednesday, Garza visited the funeral home, where she confirmed the extent of the decomposition, calling the experience devastating.
The Dallas Police Department continues to investigate and has not yet released further details.
