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IN December 2022, Juan David Ortiz was found guilty of the 2018 murders of four women.
Let’s take a look at who Ortiz is and where he is today.
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Who is Juan David Ortiz?
Juan David Ortiz worked as a US Border Control supervisory agent before he was convicted of first-degree murder.
Additionally, he is an Iraq war veteran having served in the US Navy.
In 2018, Juan was convicted of killing four women he picked up within a time span of 12 days.
A jury of eight women and four men unanimously found Ortiz guilty.
Following the verdict, Ortiz’s attorney said he was coerced into a confession and that his client had been suffering from PTSD from his time in Iraq.
“Look at the guy in front of you, the guy who was there at the time: Broken, PTSD, migraine headaches, insomnia, nightmares,” began defense attorney Joel Perez.
He went on to say investigators “induced him, they confronted him, they promised him all these things. It was improper inducement.”
However, District Attorney Isidro Alaniz responded saying: “It is terrifying to have the enemy within the ranks of law enforcement.”
Who were Ortiz’s victims?
Ortiz claimed the lives of four women. These women included:
- Melissa Ramirez, 29
- Claudine Anne Luera, 42
- Guiselda Alicia Cantu, 35
- Janelle Ortiz, 28
Additionally, Ortiz went for a fifth victim but she managed to escape and testify against him in court.
His would-be fifth victim is Erika Peña.
She recalled running away from him and being able to make it to the front of a gas station store where a DPS Trooper was fueling his car.
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Where is Juan David Ortiz now?
Juan David Ortiz is currently serving his life sentence in prison without parole at the WF Ramsey Unit in Texas.
He originally was detained at the Webb County Jail however, he was transferred after receiving his verdict.
His case will be examined on Friday’s episode of NBC’s Dateline.
The two-hour special will premiere on Friday, September 15, 2023, at 10pm ET.
