He shot, blinded a man in Riverbank. What happened on his fifth time up for parole?
Nahu Rodriguez, 53, who shot and blinded a man in 1993, was denied parole for the fifth time, Stanislaus County District Attorney Birgit Fladager announced last week.
On July 23, 1993, the Riverbank resident who had been drinking all day with neighbors accused Andres Lopez of having an affair with his wife.
After trying to hit Lopez with a stick and choke him, Rodriguez went into the house, retrieved a shotgun and came back outside, where he fired one round at Lopez, saying “I’m going to kill this castrated bull” according to a press release.
Lopez was struck in the face by the pellets, including both eyes, as well as his chest and hand. He remains blind from the shooting.
Rodriguez fled the scene but was identified by witnesses. After two years on the run, he was arrested.
On March 28, 1996, he pleaded guilty to premeditated attempted murder with an enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury and personally being armed with a firearm.
He was sentenced to serve life in prison plus 4 years.
During the parole hearing, Rodriguez told the board his crimes were primarily caused by his alcoholism and cultural upbringing, according to the press release.
The victim appeared at the hearing with his wife and adult son, asking the Board to deny release. The son told the panel how this crime left the victim blinded for life, unable to see either of his children who were born after the shooting.
Rodriguez can next apply for parole in three years and his previous parole hearings were in 2007, 2009, 2014 and 2019.
