READING, PA – A Berks County man already accused of killing a local husband now faces additional charges in connection with the deaths of the man’s wife and one-year-old son, authorities announced Monday.
According to Berks County prosecutors, Jose Luis Rodriguez, 61, is now charged with three counts of first-degree murder following the deaths of Geraldina Peguero-Mancebo, 30, her husband Junior Cabrera-Colon, 33, and their young son, Jayden. The expanded charges come nearly two weeks after authorities discovered all three victims in separate locations in and around Reading.
Investigators say Peguero-Mancebo and her son were last seen on the night of Sept. 12, entering a white Nissan Quest linked to Rodriguez. Cellphone data tracked both Rodriguez and Peguero-Mancebo to a remote area on East Huller Lane that same night. According to a criminal complaint, Rodriguez allegedly confessed to authorities that he shot Peguero-Mancebo in the back of the head after an argument, then disposed of her body.
The following day, Jayden’s body was located in a nearby lake. An autopsy showed mud in the infant’s lungs, consistent with being alive at the time of submersion. Investigators say Rodriguez admitted to tossing the boy, still breathing, into the muddy water. He told police that fear of being caught kept him from seeking help for the child.
Authorities say Rodriguez acknowledged an intimate relationship with Peguero-Mancebo and told investigators he provided her with financial support, including paying rent. The relationship reportedly soured when she refused to leave her husband, leading to tension and, allegedly, violence.
On Sept. 13, Junior Cabrera-Colon was discovered dead near Baer Park in Reading, the victim of a gunshot wound to the head. Officials now believe his killing took place after the murders of his wife and child. Rodriguez had previously been charged in Cabrera-Colon’s death before the investigation expanded.
During interviews with law enforcement, Rodriguez is said to have guided officers to the murder weapon, a 9 mm handgun, which was hidden under a neighbor’s porch. The firearm had been reported as missing during shipment months earlier.
In addition to multiple murder charges, Rodriguez is also facing counts of abuse of a corpse, evidence tampering, possessing an instrument of crime, and carrying a firearm without a license. He remains held at Berks County Jail without bond pending a court appearance set for Oct. 3.
The shocking nature of the crime has rattled the local community, as family and friends grieve the losses. A fundraising effort is underway to help return the bodies of the victims to the Dominican Republic, where they were originally from. The couple is survived by three other children, ages 8, 10, and 13.
Authorities have not released further information about the investigation or any possible defense Rodriguez may offer. Police say the probe remains ongoing.