Salome Rodriguez Jr., a 23-year-old from Ontario, California, was tragically shot and killed on March 13, 2015, near Third Street and Main Street in Pomona. The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. when the Pomona Police Department responded to a call about gunshots. Upon arrival, officers found Rodriguez with gunshot wounds in a parking lot near a bustling area filled with bars and nightclubs. He was immediately transported to L.A.
County-USC Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation quickly identified Henry Solis, a 27-year-old probationary officer with the Los Angeles Police Department's Devonshire Division, as the primary suspect. Solis and Rodriguez had reportedly been at the Viva Tequila Lounge and Nightclub in downtown Pomona on the night of the incident. A confrontation between the two men escalated after they left the nightclub, leading to the fatal shooting. Solis, who was off-duty at the time, did not report to work the following day, prompting the LAPD to assist Pomona police in the search for him. Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Solis, who was considered armed and dangerous.
The case took a dramatic turn when it was revealed that Solis had fled to Mexico with the help of his father, Victor Solis. The FBI offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to Solis' arrest, and a federal grand jury indicted Victor Solis for making false statements to FBI investigators. Victor had claimed he traveled alone to Mexico, but surveillance photos showed he was accompanied by his son. On May 26, 2015, Henry Solis was arrested in Juarez, Mexico, and extradited to El Paso, Texas, where he was held in federal custody.
Henry Solis faced trial for the murder of Salome Rodriguez Jr. In February 2020, a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder. During the trial, Solis claimed he was attempting to arrest Rodriguez after being robbed and sexually assaulted by two men in the nightclub's restroom. However, prosecutors argued that Solis had confronted the wrong person and later admitted to a roommate that he had killed someone. Despite his defense attorney's efforts to reduce the charges to manslaughter, Solis was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison. His father, Victor Solis, was convicted of lying to federal authorities and sentenced to three years of probation and a $1,000 fine.
The tragic death of Salome Rodriguez Jr. and the subsequent legal proceedings highlighted the complexities and challenges of seeking justice in cases involving law enforcement officers. The case drew significant media attention and underscored the importance of accountability and transparency within the police force.
