Johnny Jose Rodriguez, a 31-year-old from Indio, California, received a sentence of 55 years to life for the unprovoked second-degree murder of 32-year-old Angela Struzas on January 14, 2020. He pleaded guilty on January 5, 2026, admitting to the killing and related gun enhancements, leading to his sentencing on January 20, 2026, at the Larson Justice Center.​
Incident Details
Struzas was found shot multiple times in her home on the 38000 block of Rancho Los Coyotes Drive, near Avenue 38, east of Los Angeles. Detective Kelly Hawkins described the scene as one of the bloodiest she had encountered, with the victim “drenched in blood, in a pool of blood.” Rodriguez, then 25 and on probation for prior felony drug possession (and possibly robbery), confessed immediately to investigators, boasting “I’m a good aim.”
Confession and Investigation
Rodriguez claimed Struzas’ 44-year-old roommate handed him a gun and told him to “get her,” firing first into her arm before delivering the fatal second shot. He provided no motive despite questioning. The roommate was initially arrested for accessory to murder and witness intimidation but was cleared and released after investigation found no involvement. All parties knew each other, though Rodriguez did not live there.
Legal Outcome
Under a pretrial agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, Rodriguez faced the mandatory sentence for second-degree murder plus enhancements for gun use and great bodily injury. No charges were dismissed, ensuring the stiff penalty despite his prior record. The case, delayed over six years, highlights California’s “Three Strikes” implications for repeat felons.
