Man accused of killing Worcester mother, daughter due in court as family gathers for funeral

WORCESTER, Mass. — The man accused of killing a Worcester mother and daughter before fleeing to New York City has been returned to Massachusetts and will face a judge on Friday.

William Rodriguez, 59, is slated to be arraigned in Worcester District Court at 2 p.m. on two counts of armed assault to murder in connection with the Aug. 25 murders of 76-year-old Sergia Acosta and her 58-year-old daughter, Ana Maria Martinez, a spokesperson for the Worcester District Attorney’s Office told Boston 25 News.

Family of the murder victims gathered Thursday for their wake. A funeral will be held on Friday.

“I didn’t think that I would have to see my aunt and my grandma like this,” said family member Genesis Berrios. Cathi Rodrigues added, “It brings me peace that he is off the streets, and in custody, justice will be served. I have faith justice will be served.”

Rodriguez was arrested by law enforcement officials in the Bronx, New York, on Aug. 29 and had been in custody awaiting return to Massachusetts.

Officers responding to a report of a double stabbing at the Webster Square Towers on Main Street on Sunday, Aug. 25, found the two women dead in an apartment.

Rodriquez was in a relationship with Ana Maria for about a year, Boston 25′s Bob Ward reported.

While investigators weren’t initially able to track Rodriquez down, court records revealed that police did locate a note in his apartment written in Spanish that read, “Women who make mistakes will receive what is coming.”

This shocking double murder comes only five years after Rodriguez was paroled for the murder of his wife Carmen Rodriguez in 2004 at a hotel where they both worked.

As Boston 25 News has previously reported, Rodriguez pleaded guilty, not to first degree murder, but to manslaughter for his wife’s stabbing death.

He served 15 years in prison.

The parole board recommended his release in 2018, finding that he accepted responsibility for his wife’s death, and maintained quote, a positive adjustment.

Sergia and Ana Maria’s family say they will attend Rodriguez’s arraignment.

“Fifteen years is, he took someone’s life. You came back out and did it again, unbelievable,” Cathi Rodrigues said.

“I can’t wait until he has to see us. And know that my grandmother and my aunt have a very big family who is going to be here till the very end,” Genesis Berrios added.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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