A 61-year-old man has been charged with the brutal murders of a mother, her one-year-old son, and the child’s father in a chilling case that unfolded in Berks County, Pennsylvania.
Jose Luis Rodriguez now faces three counts of first-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, and other related charges for the deaths of 31-year-old Geraldina Peguero-Mancebo, her son, Jeyden Junior Peguero, and 31-year-old Junior Cabrera-Colon.
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| The victims |
On Saturday, September 13, 2025, Reading police found Junior Cabrera-Colon shot to death inside his own car, which was abandoned near Baer Park.
During the investigation into Cabrera-Colon's death, investigators learned he lived with Peguero-Mancebo and her son, who had not been seen or heard from since the previous day, September 12.
After this suspicious finding, the mother and son were officially listed as missing and endangered, as per CBS News.
Preliminary investigations soon pointed at Rodriguez as a person of interest in the case, and on Wednesday, September 18, he was interviewed by Berks County investigators.
Police reports state that he eventually admitted to killing Cabrera-Colon and also confessed to being involved in the disappearance of the missing mother and her son.
That confession led investigators to a grassy field near East Huller Lane in Ontelaunee Township, where they discovered the body of Geraldina Peguero-Mancebo.
Less than 24 hours later, the body of one-year-old Jeyden Junior Peguero was found approximately 150 yards from his mother, in what officials described as a murky, algae-covered pond.
Criminal investigations later uncovered that Rodriguez committed the crime out of jealousy.
He was reportedly having some kind of affair with Peguero-Mancebo, but was upset because she wouldn't leave Cabrera-Colon for him.
He also believed she was using his money because Rodriguez had been paying for her accommodation, as per CBS News.
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| Jose Luis Rodriguez |
According to Berks County District Attorney John Adams, Rodriguez described the horrific details of the crime during his confession.
Rodriguez stated that on September 12, he
picked up Peguero-Mancebo and her young son.
He then drove the mother and child to East Huller Lane, where he said he shot Peguero-Mancebo in the back of the head. He then took the toddler, Jeyden, and threw him into a stagnant pond, leaving him to die.
An autopsy later confirmed that the one-year-old died from freshwater drowning.
Later that same day, Rodriguez met with Cabrera-Colon, and the two men argued about Rodriguez's affair with Peguero-Mancebo.
The argument turned physical, and Rodriguez claimed he picked up a gun that Cabrera-Colon dropped and used it to shoot him.
On Monday, September 22, 2025, Rodriguez led detectives to where he had hidden Peguero-Mancebo's phone, purse, and the murder weapon.
Authorities say the investigation is still ongoing as they continue working to uncover the full truth behind the case.
"We're still in the initial parts of the investigation. I would suggest most likely that his version is only partially accurate," District Attorney Adams said during a press conference.
Also, The Berks County District Attorney's office has said that it will consider seeking the death penalty for Rodriguez, who had no prior criminal history, as per CBS News.
"The loss of life of these adults that were killed was unnecessary," Adams said. "The loss of life of that 1-year-old was cruel. It was horrible."
As of September 2025, Jose Luis Rodriguez remains held without bail at the Berks County Prison, as authorities work to piece together the full story of this devastating triple homicide.
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