WASHINGTON, DC: There is seldom complete closure in cases of crime. In the case of Pamela Butler's disappearance and murder, it took over 10 years to reach a final verdict. Meanwhile, her remains are yet to be discovered.
The 2009 murder case was reopened several times on the insistence of Pamela's brother Derrick, who stayed active on the investigation for the over 10 years that it took to bring her justice. NBC's 'Dateline' will do a rerun of their 2022 episode based on the case, called 'A Haunting Stretch of Road'. It will air on Friday, July 21, 2023.
Who killed Pamela Butler?
Pamela's murder was one of the crimes that made meeting people and forming relationships on online platforms a scary prospect for many. 47 years old at the time, Pamela met Jose Rodriguez-Cruz online in 2009 and started dating him. They had known each other for about 5 months when she mysteriously disappeared from her two-story Washington, DC home. Her family members reported her disappearance when they found her house in a messy state and Pamela nowhere to be found.
While there was a crippling lack of evidence, the discovery of another murder case's link with him prompted further investigation against Jose. Marta Rodriguez, his ex-wife, had similarly disappeared and her remains were identified in 2018, 27 years after they were discovered in 1991. Jose had a history of assault and abuse in his relationships with women. Years later, he confessed to killing Pamela after persistent questioning by the investigators.
How was Pamela Butler killed?
Pamela's concern for security around her home aided her murder investigation. The victim had installed several security cameras that captured Jose as the last person to have come in contact with her while visiting her home on the day of her disappearance in February 2009. Her unchecked mail was also a major sign of her disappearance.
Jose was seen coming in and out of her door with suspicious materials like cleaning supplies and large bags, possibly to clean up the crime scene. His confession revealed that he killed her after they got into an argument. He strangled her to death after attacking her a few times and dumped her body on the side of Interstate Highway 95. It was the same location where Marta's body was found. However, Pamela's remains are yet to be discovered.
