(RepublicanDaily.org) – A former school police officer from Washington state has been found, following an extensive search by authorities after he murdered his ex-wife as well as his 17-year-old girlfriend.
After leading police on a chase close to Eugene on the afternoon of April 23, state troopers found the body of Elias Huizar. He died from a gunshot wound to the head, which police say was self-inflicted.
Earlier, a warrant of arrest and an amber alert was issued against Huizar, whom authorities said murdered his ex-wife Amber Rodriguez, just outside her place of work at William Wiley Elementary School in West Richland, Washington. After police started searching for the suspect, they also found the dead body of his girlfriend, Angelica Santos, inside his home just a few minutes away from the school where he had shot and killed his former wife.
Police were also especially on high alert as the suspect had fled with Santos’ 1-year-old toddler, Roman, and law enforcement suspected that Huizar could escape into Mexico in an attempt to evade justice.
The chase after Huizar began after he was spotted at a Plaid Pantry on Hayden Island in Portland, Oregon. Oregon State Troopers were dispatched to investigate the sighting. Troopers reported that upon seeing police, Huizar engaged in an “exchange of gunfire” with deputies and then attempted to flee. However, he lost control of the vehicle after a minor collision and eventually came to a stop. Police say that when they approached Huizar’s SUV, they found him with the gunshot wound to his head.
Following the retrieval of Huizar’s body, police were able to rescue the child, who was unharmed.
Huizar was a former police officer for the Yakima Police Department, and also served as a school resource officer and substitute teacher.
The suspect’s ex-wife left behind two children, both boys, who are 9 and 6 years old. A friend of Rodriguez, with the permission of the victim’s family, set up a GoFundMe campaign to help with funeral and burial expenses, as well as provide for the long-term needs of her children. As of press time, the campaign has raised close to $30,000 of its $50,000 goal.
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