Twin Falls police in Idaho have charged two 18-year-old suspects in connection with the fatal shooting of Fred Rodriguez. Mi’Quavis Dewayne Taylor and Kaden James Thomson are both facing charges of first-degree murder, burglary, grand theft, and attempted grand theft. Rodriguez was shot after confronting a suspect who was allegedly attempting to steal his 2014 Dodge Caravan outside his home on November 16. Rodriguez’s wife had previously reported the theft of their car keys on social media and believed the thief would return.
According to a statement from the Twin Falls Police, Rodriguez’s wife witnessed a person wearing gloves and a face covering approach their property in a white pickup truck. Rodriguez went outside with a baseball bat to confront the suspect and got into the passenger side of their van, where the suspect was sitting. Gunshots were heard, and Rodriguez was shot multiple times. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
After the shooting, witnesses reportedly saw the suspect fleeing the area in a white truck. Crime scene investigators found seven shell casings inside the stolen van. Taylor and Thomson were arrested the following day and allegedly confessed to their involvement. Thomson claimed to have left the scene and instructed Taylor to drive away, while Taylor admitted to researching car theft techniques and expressed surprise at the number of gunshots Thomson fired.
Police later found the alleged murder weapon at a home in Boise, Idaho. It is believed that the two suspects were responsible for multiple car thefts in the days leading up to the incident. A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist with funeral expenses for Rodriguez, whom loved ones described as a hardworking provider for his family.
Taylor and Thomson have not entered a plea, and they are both currently being held on bond in Ada County.