Jose Rodriguez is suspected of kidnapping 4 year old Juliani Cardenas on January 18, 2011 and then driving into the Delta-Mendota Canal. The Stanislaus Sheriff Department announced on February 1, 2011 that a dead body matching the description of Juliani was found in the canal but had not found the suspected kidnapper, dead or alive.
On Saturday, February 12, 2011, at 8:30am, an employee with the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority notified Stanislaus County Sheriff’s detectives that a body was found floating in the Delta-Mendota Canal near Gate #9 South of Fink Road South of the City of Patterson.
Detectives, the West Stanislaus-Patterson Fire Department and the Sheriff’s Dive Team responded and recovered the body of an adult Hispanic male who’s physical and clothing description matches that of suspected kidnapper Jose Rodriguez.
Gate #9 is located approximately 11 miles south of the location where detectives determined that Rodriguez drove his car into the canal with Juliani after kidnapping Juliani from his grandmother on January 18th.
An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday but is now scheduled to be performed on Wednesday at the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department Coroner’s Division. Positive identification will be made through evidence recovery, dental records and/or DNA and released soon.
Related Article:
DNA Results Positively Identify Body Found in Canal as Kidnapped 4 Yr. Old Boy Juliani Cardenas