Two years after arrest, Olympic boxer found guilty in murder of pregnant girlfriend

Former Puerto Rican Olympic boxer Felix Verdejo Sanchez has been found guilty of murdering his pregnant girlfriend, Keishla Rodriguez Ortiz, two years after the incident took place.

Verdejo Sanchez was found guilty of two of the four charges, including kidnapping and death of an unborn child. Journalist Andrea Falche Dominicci took to Twitter following the jury's verdict and wrote:

"Felix Verdejo Sanchez was found guilty in 2 of the 4 charges. This are: Kidnapping that resulted in death of a person; Death of an unborn child. The jury did not come to an agreement on the carjacking and weapon use charges."

People Magazine reported that the former Olympic boxer would be sentenced on November 3, and also noted that Verdejo Sanchez's lawyer refused to comment on the verdict. Rodriguez Ortiz's father was quoted saying the following to local publication El Nuevo Dia after the verdict was passed:

"May he live the rest of his life thinking about everything he did to my daughter. I do not wish him death. I wish him good health and that he can last as long as he can last. If he wants to last 200 years, let him last, but that he remembers what he did to my daughter, always."

The death of Keishla Rodriguez Ortiz infuriated the public of Puerto Rico, who had reportedly grown tired of the way women were being treated in their country. Protests erupted across the island, forcing Governor Pedro Pierluisi to declare a state of emergency.

Per ABC News, he was quoted saying the following:

"Gender violence is a social evil, based on ignorance and attitudes that cannot have space or tolerance in the Puerto Rico that we aspire to. It is my duty and my commitment as governor to establish a STOP to gender violence and for these purposes, I have declared a state of emergency."

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Who is Felix Verdejo Sanchez, the former Olympic boxer found guilty of murdering his girlfriend?

Felix Verdejo Sanchez is a former Olympic boxer who represented Puerto Rico in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, finishing fifth overall in the 60kg category. Verdejo Sanchez holds a 27-2 record in professional boxing and is a former WBO Latino lightweight champion.

He was formerly signed to prominent boxing promotion Top Rank, headed by Bob Arum.

His last fight came in December 2020, several months prior to him causing irreparable damage to the family of Keishla Rodriguez Ortiz.