North Franklin Murder Suspect on Way to Tri-Cities

A man who’s believed to have been a part of a grisly murder in North Franklin County is being extradited back to the Tri-Cities.

Authorities say Clemente Rodriguez should be here by Wednesday. He was captured trying to re-enter the U.S. at a border crossing near San Ysidro. He was spotted by law enforcement officers after a nationwide bulletin had been issued for Rodriguez and his father, Tiburcio Larios Rodriguez.

Earlier this year, Estella Rodriguez disappeared from her North Franklin home March 28, she’d been alone there cooking. Relatives who returned to the home later found blood all over the house, and after calling authorities, their investigation revealed enough evidence to official rule Estella had been murdered. At that time Clemente and Tiburcio were also nowhere to be found.

Her SUV was found within a few days abandoned at a rest stop near the Othello exit off Highway 395. Extensive searches of Franklin County and the Connell area failed to turn up any sign of her body. Officials say she’d had marital problems with Tiburcio, she refused to reunite with him after leaving him earlier this year.