A 15-year-old boy from Texas was arrested for a deadly triple homicide on December 9 in Odessa. He killed his ex-girlfriend’s mother, 39-year-old Jessica Rodriguez, and her 13-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son at their home. The attack took place at the Eighty Seventh Apartments around 5:45 p.m. The ex-girlfriend, also 15, was unharmed but suffers from emotional trauma after losing her family. Odessa Police called the shooting a “cowardly act of violence” that shocked the community. Initially, the teen planned to attack his ex-girlfriend outside her school but changed his mind and went to her apartment instead. After the shooting, he fled but was caught about 40 minutes later. Police Chief Mike Gerke said officers “knew almost immediately” who the suspect was. The boy is now held at the Ector County Youth Center and charged with capital murder of multiple persons, one of the most severe felonies in Texas. Since he is under 18, he cannot face the death penalty. The children’s father, Roy Casey Martinez, expressed his heartbreak in a fundraiser, saying, “My heart is extremely broken,” after losing his two children and ex-wife. Authorities have not shared the motive behind the killings or further case details. Chief Gerke urged the community to support the surviving teen and the grieving family, calling the killings a harsh reminder that “evil does visit us from time to time.” The investigation continues as Odessa residents try to understand why such a violent act occurred.