Gruesome Murder/Suicide In Kansas

"LIBERAL, KS - The Liberal couple found dead Wednesday night had been laying lifelessly on their bloody bed for four days before authorities found them.

"Local coroner Hubert Peterson announced Friday Jose Angel Rodriguez, Jr., killed his wife, Alicia, and then took his own life in their house at 1233 Krause Court.

"Alicia Rodriguez was smothered to death by a pillow. After her killing, Jose Rodriguez took a small circular skill saw and cut both his legs vertically along the femur bone from his thighs to below his knees, said Peterson. Jose
Rodriguez bled to death.

"`The door had just been broken into on the bedroom (by authorities),` said Peterson. `It was locked. The couple were lying on the bed, side by side. There was a pillow by the side of her (Alicia) head used with the suffocation.`

"Upon entering the room for the first time, Peterson said Alicia Rodriguez was covered with a comforter. Her husband was laying uncovered next to her, the skill saw by his side.

"Because of the type of injury, Peterson said this was the most unusual case he had ever seen. The bedroom temperature was in the lower 60's and since the room had been sealed off, the bodies were well preserved for the autopsy investigation. The cool temperatures lead there to be no smell, said Peterson.

"Peterson's investigation revealed the couple had been dead since Saturday afternoon or Saturday evening.

"The family had been reported missing to the Liberal Police Department since Wednesday. The couple had not been seen since Saturday."

From The Southwest Times...