Félix Verdejo, Former Boxer, Found Guilty on 2 Charges in Death of Pregnant Woman | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Former boxer Félix Verdejo was found guilty on two charges related to the death of a woman who was pregnant with his child.

According to the Associated Press, a jury convicted Verdejo of kidnapping that leads to a death and one count of causing the death of an unborn child.

He was also facing charges of intercepting and stealing a vehicle with the consequence of causing a death or the charge of carrying a weapon to commit a violent crime, but the 12-person jury couldn't reach a unanimous verdict on those counts.

Verdejo turned himself in to police on May 2, 2021, after authorities identified the body of Keishla Rodríguez a few days after she was reported missing. He was considered a "person of interest" by police related to her disappearance before turning himself in.

The Athletic's Lance Pugmire noted at the time police believed Rodríguez "was dumped off a bridge, where blood was found and a camera ID'd a truck."

Rodríguez's family told Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Día (h/t Dan Keane of The Sun) she was pregnant with Verdejo's child at the time.

In a virtual court hearing on May 11, 2021, Verdejo pleaded not guilty to four charges, including carjacking resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, killing an unborn child and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

The AP noted Luis Antonio Cádiz, a friend of Verdejo's who was also charged in the case, testified the boxer "pressured Rodríguez to get an abortion before she was killed."

According to the Associated Press, the autopsy determined Rodríguez had fentanyl and xylazine in her system when she died. Cádiz testified Verdejo injected her with a substance he believed to be heroin "before they both tied her limbs to a cement block and threw her off a busy bridge in broad daylight."

Verdejo is facing a penalty of life in prison at his sentencing hearing scheduled for Nov. 3. The 30-year-old had a 27-2 record in 29 professional boxing matches. He represented Puerto Rico at the 2012 Olympics, where he finished tied for fifth in the lightweight division.