Norma Rodriguez, Warren Mackey: Hispanic Mother Found Dead In Port Hueneme Home, California Murder Profiled On ‘Betrayed’

Norma Rodriguez was murdered in her Port Hueneme, California, home more than 20 years ago. Her case will be profiled on Betrayed on Investigation Discovery. True-crime buffs will remember this story since it has been profiled several times on Investigation Discovery. Betrayed’s episode for the Norma Rodriguez case is titled “Flirting With Death.”

Authorities said it took them a decade to solve the case thanks to DNA evidence, which pointed to family friend Warren Patrick Mackey. Today, Warren Mackey is serving time in a California correctional facility. On the show, Port Hueneme investigators will recount how they solved the case. Family members of Norma Rodriguez are also expected to take part in the documentary.

“Betrayed: Flirting With Death”

When a man finds his ex-wife dead on the floor of her California home and his little boy alive in the next room, he becomes the prime suspect in the murder. But after he is cleared, the case goes cold until a DNA match ten years later eyes a suspect who had a close relationship with the victim.

https://www.facebook.com/pauljacobevans/photos/a.542864262556702.1073741832.183742248468907/652303098279484/?type=3&permPage=1

June 1993: Hispanic Mother Found Dead, Head Wrapped In Duck Tape

A 911 operator received a frantic call from Anthony Rodriguez, who stated that he had discovered his ex-wife dead on the floor. When police arrived at the home on East B Street in Port Hueneme, they found the body of a Hispanic female, who was later identified as 32-year-old Norma Garcia Rodriguez. The victim’s four-year-old little boy was found alive.

Anthony Rodriguez told police that he had arrived at the home to drop off his other son. He also explained that the four-year-old had been with his mother all night. Norma Rodriguez was found lying flat on her back. Her shorts were partially undone, and thick duck tape was wrapped around her entire head and face, something that detectives found both unusual and disturbing.

There was no sign of forced entry, and there was no blood found at the scene. A pair of house keys were found near the victim’s dead body.

Authorities say Anthony Rodriguez indicated that he frequently came to the house to pick up or drop off his sons. Detectives were convinced that Norma’s little son had seen the killer.

It took investigators a while to get information from Norma Rodriguez’ son since he was confused and upset. Eventually, he told them that his mother’s friend, Warren, was at the home with another man. The boy also stated that Warren had choked his mother while another man held her down.

Police went to the Oxnard Kmart where Norma Rodriguez worked and found a Warren Mackey. Thirty-nine-year-old Warren Mackey told investigators that he knew Norma well and that they had a close platonic relationship. Detectives later learned that Warren Mackey had desired a romantic relationship with Norma, but she was not interested.

The case went cold for 10 years. During that time, three other women were murdered in Port Hueneme. Residents and police began believing that the killings were the work of a serial killer. However, a decade later, DNA evidence linked Warren Mackey to the killing of Norma Rodriguez, according to Atty. Richard Simon as the Los Angeles Times reported.

“We obtained DNA samples from a number of suspects. The result was a match to Mackey, one of several friends of the victim who had voluntarily provided a DNA sample to investigators.”

It might be fall, but it's still a #beach day in #PortHueneme. PC: nairi_diary pic.twitter.com/CSrsOzJWkU

— Ventura County Coast (@VisitVCCoast) October 4, 2016

More Details About The Case

• The four-year-old son had been in the house with his mother’s dead body for about 24 hours. He might have believed that his mother was asleep.
• Police always had a bad feeling about Warren Mackey.
• It is alleged that Warren Mackey had a close relationship with her sons.
• Warren Mackey did not attend Norma Rodriguez’ funeral.
• Warren Mackey had previously passed a polygraph exam.
• Norma Rodriguez’ sons, Austin and Andrew, are now grown men.

Family members still remember the close relationship they had with Norma Rodriguez, a woman who worked hard and worked her way up to assistant manager at the local Kmart. An entry of Norma Rodriguez can be found at Find A Grave.

To see how much time Warren Mackey will spend in prison, tune into Betrayed tonight at 10/9 p.m. Central on Investigation Discovery. Last week’s Betrayed involved the case of the former exotic dancer, Marjorie Orbin. Also, take a look at our coverage of Debbie Flores Narvaez, the Latina showgirl who was dismembered and murdered by her ex-lover.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5FQ4oxFHPA

[Featured Image by Marco Ugarte/AP Images]