2 women found dead in Worcester apartment; police seek man who killed his wife in 2004

WORCESTER — The man wanted for questioning in the slaying of two women in a Webster Square apartment served prison time for the 2004 stabbing death of his wife at the Beechwood Hotel.

William Rodriguez, 59, who remained on the run Monday afternoon, assaulted his wife Feb. 10, 2004, at the Plantation Street hotel where they both worked. Carmel L. Rodriguez, 34, was a housekeeper; he was a dishwasher.

At the time, there was a restraining order against William Rodriguez.

In court, prosecutors said the attack was motivated by a failed marriage and William Rodriguez's fear that he would be separated from his three children. The plea came a day before a scheduled trial; William Rodriguez planned a psychiatric defense, court records showed at the time.

He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter three years later and was sentenced to 15 to 20 years in prison.

Rodriguez has been the subject of an extensive police search since Saturday afternoon following the discovery of the bodies of the mother and daughter in a ninth-floor apartment at Webster Square Towers. Authorities said the women were stabbed to death.

Genesis Berrios, a relative, identified the victims as Sergia Acosta, 76, the resident of the apartment, and her daughter, Ana Maria Martinez, 58. Berrios is a granddaughter of Acosta and a niece of Martinez.

“We’re trying to do our best to stay united as a family, and just hope they catch this guy as soon as possible,” said Berrios, 28. “We want this man behind bars so that justice can be served and that he never hurts someone else again like this.”

More: Court records: William Rodriguez, suspect in double slaying, had dated victim

Rodriguez, whose last known address is 40 Belmont St., is considered to be armed and dangerous, police said. He is described to be 6 feet and 2 inches tall and around 180 pounds.

Police are asking anyone with information about Rodriguez to call detectives at (508) 799-8651.

The slayings shocked residents of the apartment building, which is run by the Worcester Housing Authority.

Jane Kirby, a 79-year-old resident sitting on the building’s terrace Sunday morning who said she lived at 1060 Main St., where the stabbing happened, described the victims as “the nicest people."

“They never bothered a soul,” Kirby said. “We’re living through hell right now.

“This is so awful. I can’t believe this.”

The two towers where police said they found the women around 1 p.m. Saturday are described on the Worcester Housing Authority website as “senior-only,” and consist of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.

A police officer stood inside the front entrance of the building Sunday morning, keeping watch as residents sauntered past the glass doors.

Like Kirby, other residents sat on one of the benches on the terrace in front of the building, where residents associate almost daily “like a big family,” as Kirby described it.

Kirby said the daughter, identified as Martinez, was frequently present as Acosta's caretaker.

Cecilio Gonzalez, a 78-year-old who has lived in the building for 24 years, said police cruisers filled the street between the buildings shortly after screaming was heard coming from the ninth floor at around 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

Gonzalez said Acosta lived on the ninth floor of the building.

Like many other residents sitting in the area in front of the building’s entrance Sunday morning, Gonzalez said Rodriguez was a familiar face to the buildings’ residents.

He was often seen cleaning his car in the back parking lot.

"He was a quiet man,” Gonzalez said of Rodriguez. "He seemed nice."

Gonzalez added that Rodriguez didn’t live in the building; his father took up one of the apartments in the Webster Square buildings.

Safety concerns: 'We don't have that much security'

To Gonzalez, the stabbing highlights concerns over safety at the buildings, saying a security guard is present only sporadically.

“What I want is safety,” Gonzalez said. “When we go to bed, we don’t want to be concerned that someone will walk through the door.

"We don't have that much security. The security we have is a couple of days on the weekend."

Rosa Rivera, 77, who said she had lived in the building for 13 years, was also sitting with the residents on the front patio reading a morning newspaper.

She echoed Gonzalez’s concerns.

“It used to be really safe here,” Rivera said. “But now everybody comes in because that door is unlocked.”

The Worcester Housing Authority website states that the buildings are equipped with closed-circuit security cameras and an “after hours” security guard.

Asked about security at the buildings, a representative for the Worcester Housing Authority said “at this time” the agency would not comment about the stabbings further than the statement released Sunday morning.

"The Worcester Housing Authority is deeply disturbed and saddened by the loss of life of two women who were found inside a unit at one of our properties," the authority wrote.

'Surprised' over news about Rodriguez

Domingo Ramirez, 83, a resident at 1060 Main St., said he was “surprised” to hear the news about Rodriguez, saying he had once paid him $40 to clean his car.

He said the mother and daughter killed in the stabbing were often seen walking together by the building, always greeting those walking past them.

“They were very nice people,” Ramirez said. “Everybody knew them and everybody liked them.”

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This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: 2 women found dead in Worcester apartment; police seek man who killed his wife in 2004