The Olympic Hero Who Became a Monster: The Felix Verdejo Story
The story of Felix Verjo is a dark reflection of fame, obsession, and violence. A case that shocked Puerto Rico and the world, revealing a chilling truth behind the mask of success. In 2012, the London Olympics saw the birth of a star. Felix Verdeo Sanchez, a Puerto Rican boxer, a diamond in the rough for his nation, promising titles and gold medals.
His story was that of a humble young man who through hard work and discipline achieved glory. But behind that champion’s facade lurked a dark and disturbed personality. In 2021, his name resurfaced, no longer for triumphs, but in the grim chronicles of crime. The story of a teenage obsession transformed into a lethal addiction culminating in tragedy.
The architect of the 2014 knockout, praised and promoted by two-time Olympic champion Vasel Lomachenko, flirted with the death penalty, only to be imprisoned for life. The future world champion was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on May 19th, 1993 into a large modest family. From a young age, he cultivated a passion for sports, initially baseball.
A singular incident at the age of nine changed his destiny, a backyard fight with the son of a family friend. His father, observing the boy’s fervor, jokingly said, “If you want to fight, put on gloves.” That advice, taken to heart, led him to a local gym, where, as he would later confess, he fell in love with boxing in his first training session.
At 16, he won the Pan-American Junior Championship, followed by national titles and in 2012 reached the quarterfinals of the London Olympic Games. His professional career took off. 29 fights, 27 overwhelming victories. In 2014, his knockout of Sergio Villain Noeva earned him the title of best KO of the year.
The WBO Latino titles followed, defending them six times in two years. But fame and success also brought with them temptations and dangers. Meanwhile, in San Juan, Quesla Rodriguez was born in November 1993. Quesa Marlene Rodriguez Ortiz, daughter of Jose and Kayla Rodriguez, sister of Nicole Bars and step-daughter of Jonathan.
She grew up as an outgoing and sociable girl, good in school, an animal lover with dreams of becoming a veterinarian. Kisha and Felix attended the same school, had known each other since childhood, and in their teens, a romantic love blossomed, a love that over time would become a deadly trap. In 2011, Kaisha’s parents divorced. Kayla moved to Florida.
At 18, the promising boxer, now an Olympian, began a relationship with Elisa Maria Santiago Sierra, a 14-year-old aspiring model. Elisa’s parents didn’t object to the relationship. Felix, charming and talented, surrounded by admirers, never missed the opportunity for occasional flings. Despite his relationship with Elisa, he continued to see Kisha.
Elisa considered herself the only woman Felix’s true love and was planning their wedding. Kisha, aware of her fianceé, was still hoping to be the chosen one. A love triangle that turned into a ticking time bomb. Caught between two women, Felix couldn’t handle the situation and made the worst possible decision.
In 2016, Felix married Elisa, then 19. a successful model and businesswoman. A few months after the wedding in August, a serious motorcycle accident forced him to be hospitalized. His trainer, Ricky Marquez, feared the end of his career, but Felix recovered quickly and returned to the ring. In September 2019, he posted a photo of a pregnant Quesisha on social media announcing the arrival of a princess.
A month later, Miranda Verdeo Santiago was born. In public, Felix appeared to be a loving husband and father, but secretly he continued to see Quesisha. Elisa was reassured by Felix’s tears as he promised to leave her. Kisha threatened remained isolated but in love. In 2020, Elisa discovered Felix’s messages with Kisha and other lovers.
She kicked him out of the house, threatening divorce and custody of their daughter. Felix, his career in decline, cut off contact, but he didn’t let Kesha go. After a few months, the secret meetings resumed. In April 2021, Kisha discovered she was pregnant a few days later. She told Felix, hoping for a positive reaction, but was met with anger.
He ordered her to have an ultrasound. Doubting the pregnancy. The confirmation of Quaisha’s pregnancy plunged Felix into a whirlwind of rage and despair. The thought of an illegitimate child threatened to shatter his carefully constructed public image. A bastard, she thought. I can’t allow this.
Her mind clouded by fear and selfishness refused to accept reality. After the hospital visit, Kisha called Felix, informing him of the positive pregnancy result. Felix’s reaction was violent and immediate. Screaming, insults, demands for an abortion. Kisha, however, did not budge. “I won’t do it,” she said firmly. “This child is mine, and I’m going to keep it.
” A few days before the meeting, Felix approached Luis Antonio Cadis, a childhood friend with a dark past. Luis, a mechanic by day and a drug dealer by night, was involved in shady dealings. Felix explained the situation, asking for help to solve the problem. Luis, initially reluctant, succumbed to Felix’s flattery, who promised him a large sum of money.
No one will know anything, Felix assured him. It will be a clean job. With the help of an accomplice, Luis and Felix planned the murder. Felix called Kisha, setting up a meeting for April 29th. At the appointed time, Kisha arrived at the park with the medical certificate. She was wearing a light dress despite the chilly night air.
Felix arrived in his SUV, hiding Luis in the back. Kisha got into Felix’s car, showing him the certificate. Felix, figning disbelief, began arguing with her. The argument escalated into a violent fight. Felix, blinded by rage, hit Kisha in the head, knocking her unconscious. While Kisha was unconscious, Felix injected her with a lethal dose of heroin, which Louise had obtained.
Together, they carried her to the back of the truck, where they had prepared everything necessary for the murder. metal wire, a concrete block, a plastic sheet. They tied her up, secured the concrete block, and covered her with the sheeting. Felix returned to the truck while Luis drove Kisha’s car. They headed to the bridge over San Jose Lagoon, a secluded and dark place.
They made sure no one was around and threw Kisha, still alive, into the water. Just to be safe, they fired a few shots to make sure she was dead. Having committed the murder, they returned home, trying to erase all traces of their crime. A desperate attempt to escape justice that would inevitably fail.
The truth always comes out, no matter how hard you try to hide it. Kisha’s co-workers were alarmed when she didn’t show up for work the next day. Kisha was always punctual and responsible. When she didn’t answer her phone, they called her sister Bears. Bears, worried, went to her house, finding only the hungry animals. She called her mother and the police, reporting her sister’s disappearance and the threats she had received.
She also called Felix, who denied having seen her. Neighbors and co-workers were questioned, but no one had seen anything suspicious. Appeals were made on social media, but to no avail. The case became public, and when the relationship with the athlete and the pregnancy were discovered, the media went wild. On April 30th, Kisha’s car was found abandoned along with her documents.
There were no signs of a struggle. On May 1st, a passer by saw a body in the lagoon. Police recovered Kisha’s body, identified by the tattoo on her arm. The news sparked public outrage, demanding justice. Verjo was arrested but denied any involvement. He was released due to lack of evidence. His wife, a key witness, admitted to knowing about the affair, but denied her husband’s alibi.
Investigators reviewed traffic footage toward the bridge, finding Felix’s pickup truck and Kesha’s car. Luis turned himself in, confessing to the crime. Felix was arrested again, but continued to deny it despite the evidence. The gun seized from Felix, for which he had a legal permit, was overwhelming proof of his guilt.
A check of phone records confirmed that Felix, Luis, and Kesler were in the same geographic area on that fateful night. Keishla’s final farewell on May 8th was a national media event. The funeral became a cry for justice, demanding the maximum penalty for the perpetrators and raising public awareness about gender-based violence.
Kisha’s coffin was transported to the cemetery not in a traditional hearse, but in a white carriage adorned with flowers, while white petals were scattered from the sky. Numerous Puerto Rican personalities, including entertainment stars, athletes, politicians, and public figures, expressed their outrage at the heinous crime.
Felix Verjo was charged with carjacking, kidnapping, premeditated murder, and the murder of an unborn child. The combination of these crimes could have led to the death penalty, but the victim’s family specifically requested a life sentence. The hearing was repeatedly postponed due to the coid9 pandemic, but in the spring of 2021, the trial was held virtually.
The reconstruction of the night’s events and the details of the crime were possible thanks to the testimony of Luis Kadis, who admitted his guilt. He recounted having procured the drugs for the injection and having brought the metal wire and concrete block to dispose of the body. The boxer’s wife, Elisa Santiago, who testified in court, filed for divorce immediately after her husband’s arrest, seeking to distance herself from the horror and focus on her business and raising their daughter, Miranda.
According to some sources, Elisa has recently remarried. In an interview, Elisa revealed that she had received repeated anonymous calls and messages with death threats wishing her and her daughter Miranda dead. Many suspected that she was the mastermind behind the crime, but no evidence was found. In the summer of 2023, the jury, after examining all the evidence and hearing testimony, issued its final verdict.
Felix Verjo and his accomplice, Luis Kadis, were found guilty on all charges. However, the final sentence has yet to be pronounced. The next hearing is scheduled for mid- November 2023. Both men involved in the death of Kesha Rodriguez and her unborn child will likely be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
And so, another dark chapter closes, leaving us to reflect on the depths of human depravity. Kisha Rodriguez’s story is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of unbridled power and obsession. But her memory and her pursuit of justice will live on. If you’ve been moved by this story, if you believe in shedding light on the shadows of crime, then join our community here at Into the Crime Depths.
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