Law officials say a Collin County man has been sentenced to life in prison for a recent incident which uncovered over 15 years of previous assaults.
On Wednesday, April 6, District Attorney for Collin County Greg Willis announced that 33-year-old Apolonio Rodriguez was sentenced by a jury to life in prison after being charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Causing Serious Bodily Injury with Family Violence.
"Rodriguez spent 15 years abusing multiple women," stated Willis after sentencing. "The verdict delivers vindication for the victims and perfect punishment for the predator."
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According to investigators, the Celina man was at home with his seven-month pregnant girlfriend when he assaulted her with multiple items including a golf club, extension cord, knife, mug, and his hands and feet.
Law officials said the woman sustained extensive bruising all over her body, including a wound to her head, and a shattered elbow.
Following the assault, Rodriguez forced her to flee with him to a family member's house.
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When the victim failed to show up for work, her family and friends requested a welfare check at her home, but officials said they were unable to find her for five more days.
Law enforcement officials later located the victim and Rodriguez hiding in the attic of his family member's house.
At the time of the incident, Rodriguez reportedly was already wanted for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon out of Montague County for the shooting of his previous girlfriend.
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence of additional domestic abuse that occurred over the course of 15 years.
Rodriguez had previously been convicted of misdemeanor Assault Family Violence in 2007 out of Denton County, where he served 120 days in jail.
In addition to the evidence provided, multiple victims testified recounting their abuse dating back from 2008 to 2017.
The jury returned a guilty verdict for his charges in which Rodriguez received life in prison and will not be eligible for parole until he serves 30 years.
