Bryant homicide: Preliminary hearing
set for Colonia gang member
August 13, 2014
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
An Oxnard gang member has a court date later this month in connection to the murder of an area woman that occurred last year.
Andres Rene Rodriguez, 29, is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing August 26, when he will face a murder charge in connection with the shooting death of 33-year-old Angela Bryant, of Santa Paula.
According to Santa Paula Police, Bryant, the mother of several small children, was found in a residence in the 600 block of Ojai Road at 11:11 p.m. July 17, 2013 by the homeowner.
Bryant was transported to the Trauma Unit of Ventura County Medical Center in Ventura, where she died of a gunshot wound to the head.
According to court records, the heavily tattooed Rodriguez, a documented member of the Colonia Chiques, faces special allegations that he killed Bryant during an attempted kidnapping. Rodriguez also faces another kidnapping charge involving a woman and an attempted-murder charge involving a man. Rodriguez also is facing a first-degree residential robbery charge and other special allegations.
According to Santa Paula Police officials the charges stem from incidents that occurred July 15 and 17, 2013. The incidents started with a dispute over property and ended with Bryant’s shooting on July 17.
Reportedly she was found in the bathroom where she had attempted to flee from her assailant.
Rodriguez was sharing a home in Santa Paula with Bryant and others at the time of the shooting.
Following the murder Rodriguez and a female companion went to Mexico and stayed there until September, when both were arrested near the border.
Rodriguez remains in custody in lieu of $2 million bail. The woman was not charged in the murder.
Last month Rodriguez appeared before a judge in Ventura on unrelated charges, the shooting of a man on June 11; that incident occurred about 10:35 a.m. in the La Colonia area of Oxnard.
According to court testimony the victim said he was riding his bicycle when Rodriguez, armed with a semi-automatic handgun, started running toward him.
During a struggle for the weapon the victim said he heard Rodriguez say the name of his gang and then shots were fired; the victim ran away and realized he had been wounded in his arm.
Oxnard Police testified the victim identified the shooter as Rodriguez, known by his gang nickname of “Wimpy” from pictures.
The judge ruled there was enough evidence to charge Rodriguez with attempted murder and special allegations, including that the offense was committed for the benefit of a street gang, among other charges.
Rodriguez’s arraignment for the Oxnard incident has been set for August 14.