Puerto Rican former professional boxer Félix Verdejo Sánchez, known for representing Puerto Rico in the 2012 Olympics, has been found guilty in the tragic murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Keishla Rodríguez Ortiz. 

The 30-year-old athlete was convicted by a jury on two charges related to the crime on Friday.

Keishla Rodríguez, 27, went missing on April 29, 2021, after she was supposed to meet Verdejo to inform him of her pregnancy. Two days later, her lifeless body was discovered in a lagoon in San Juan. The autopsy revealed she died from drowning after being injected with fentanyl and xylazine, a sedative used for animals.

During the nearly one-month trial held at the US District Court of Puerto Rico, the jury, comprising three women and nine men, deliberated for three days before delivering the verdict. Verdejo was found guilty of kidnapping resulting in the death of Keishla and the death of their unborn child.

However, the jury could not reach a unanimous decision on two other charges, related to a carjacking that led to the death of a person and the possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

The victim’s family expressed their relief and hope that Verdejo would remember his actions for the rest of his life. Keishla’s case sparked widespread protests in Puerto Rico, drawing attention to the serious issue of violence against women on the island.

Verdejo, who had denied any wrongdoing, was arrested on May 2, 2021, after authorities investigated the crime. He is now facing the possibility of a life sentence for the crimes he was found guilty of.

The sentencing is scheduled for November 3, and the former boxer’s defense team has declined to comment on the verdict. In the wake of this tragic incident, Puerto Rico declared a state of emergency in January 2021 to address the growing problem of gender-based violence, highlighting the urgent need for measures to protect women’s safety and rights.